PPPA Minister Appreciates Cooperatives in Empowering Women in MSMEs
She made the remarks during a visit to the cooperative in Sidakarya Village, South Denpasar, on Wednesday.
During the visit, Fauzi reviewed the cooperative’s activities, noting that most of its members are small business owners.
Since its launch in August 2025, the cooperative has attracted around 505 members, a figure she described as a significant achievement within a relatively short period.
She said cooperatives play an important role in supporting lower-middle-income communities, enabling them to sustain their businesses without relying on informal lenders who charge high interest rates.
“This is very helpful for lower-middle-income communities because they can continue running their businesses without having to borrow from loan sharks with very high interest rates,” she said.
Through the cooperative system, members have easier and more affordable access to financing. The cooperative also provides training and mentoring to strengthen members’ economic capacity.
Such training is essential to enhance the capacity of community-based businesses so they can grow and remain sustainable, she added.
Fauzi noted that about 65 percent of the cooperative’s members are women from various business backgrounds, including vegetable vendors, home-based cake producers, and small boutique owners who market their own products.
She said this reflects women’s significant contribution to supporting both household and village economies.
“This is a positive development and could bring significant benefits, as it reflects the President’s initiative to encourage every village to become more independent and resilient, supported by its own community,” she said.
With appropriate support, women can play a key role in advancing MSMEs at the local level, she added. Fauzi described the village cooperative program as a strategic initiative to strengthen village self-reliance by optimizing local potential.
She expressed hope that cooperatives will serve not only as savings and loan institutions, but also as platforms for collaboration and consultation within the community.
According to her, cooperatives can help address various local challenges, including efforts to prevent and respond to violence against women and children.
Strengthening village cooperatives, she said, can contribute to maintaining stability and prosperity at the village level. She also expressed hope that issues arising within villages can be resolved collectively through mutual cooperation.
With strong achievements and active participation by women, the Sidakarya cooperative is expected to serve as a model for other villages in developing MSMEs based on community empowerment.
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Translator: Rolandus Nampu, Katriana