Pertamina Patra Niaga empowers communities based on local potential

PT Pertamina Patra Niaga is strengthening community self-reliance through empowerment programmes based on local potential, or community involvement and development (CID). Vice President of Corporate Communication at Pertamina Patra Niaga, Kitty Andhora, stated in Jakarta on Tuesday that energy security is realised not only through the availability of fuel and LPG for the public, but also through efforts to bolster social and economic resilience in operational areas. “This spirit continues to be realised by Pertamina Patra Niaga through various CID programmes, which encourage communities to develop their regional potential sustainably,” she said. Kitty explained that these CID programmes include a creative village in South Sumatra, a horticultural area in Maluku, and a coastal village in Aceh. “All programmes are designed so that communities can grow into the main actors of economic development in their regions,” she stated. According to Kitty, in Sugihwaras, Palembang City, South Sumatra, Pertamina Patra Niaga is assisting the community in developing an environmentally based creative economy. Various value-added products, such as kelulut honey, aromatherapy candles made from used cooking oil, and processed jasmine products, have become new sources of income for MSMEs. The programme not only improves skills but also opens opportunities for housewives, youth, and other community groups to build competitive businesses. Munir, head of the local neighbourhood unit and a programme beneficiary, appreciated the tangible benefits the programme has brought to the community. “Through this evaluation, we are also formulating plans so that the programme’s benefits can be even greater and more sustainable for the community,” he said. Meanwhile, in Wayame, Ambon City, through a horticultural demonstration plot programme, Pertamina Patra Niaga has provided an environmentally friendly water supply solution alongside horticultural cultivation assistance. The presence of these facilities helps farmers increase harvest yields while strengthening food security and family economies. On the coast of Lhokseumawe City, Aceh, through the Gampong Berdikari programme, a group of fish farmers is developing semi-intensive vaname shrimp cultivation with support for production facilities, training, and business capacity building. This programme opens opportunities to increase pond productivity while creating more sustainable income sources for coastal communities. Kitty added that the empowerment approach is tailored to local characteristics. “For Pertamina Patra Niaga, the success of CID programmes is measured not only by the amount of assistance provided, but also by the extent to which communities can develop independently after receiving mentoring,” she said. Therefore, Pertamina always starts from the potential that communities possess, then develops it together through sustainable collaboration. Through an approach that prioritises collaboration and empowerment, Pertamina Patra Niaga hopes that communities will not only become beneficiaries but also drivers of the local economy, creating a sustainable impact on their surrounding environment. “We believe that when communities grow and become self-reliant, the resulting benefits will continue to develop, not only for the beneficiary families but also for the community and the region where they live. This is the true form of energy—energy that moves life,” said Kitty.