Unwilling to Waste Mushrooms, Astuti Builds a Business and Leads a Waste Bank
From a simple kitchen measuring three by three metres, Astuti learned that limitations do not always mean the end of a business. It was from that cramped space that she found a way to turn problems into opportunities and gradually build her family’s economic independence.
As a PNM Mekaar customer, Astuti started a processed oyster mushroom business despite all her limitations. For her, starting a business was not just about earning income, but also about making sure the kitchen kept cooking and the family’s needs continued to be met.
The journey was not always smooth. One problem she often faced was that not all of her oyster mushroom harvest was absorbed by the market. When fresh mushrooms did not sell out, there was a risk that the food would simply go to waste.
However, she chose not to stop at the problem. She began to think differently. Mushrooms that previously risked becoming leftovers were reprocessed into crispy mushrooms and mushroom sticks. That simple step gave the harvest a longer shelf life while creating products with new selling value.
“I used to only think about how to stop unsold mushrooms from going to waste. Now I know that from something almost thrown away, a business can grow, along with hope for the family and even benefits for many people,” said Astuti.
For Astuti, the change was not just about adding product types. She began to see her business differently. The market problem that had previously been a challenge actually pushed her to be more creative in processing products and finding added value from what she already had.
This is where empowerment becomes important. Financing gives ultra-micro entrepreneurs room to move, while mentoring helps them find ways to keep growing their businesses. The combination of the two is part of PNM’s approach in supporting customers so they do not stop at access to capital alone.
PNM’s managing director, Kindaris, said that financing and empowerment need to go hand in hand because the needs of ultra-micro businesses are not only capital, but also the ability to develop the business and face various challenges in the field.
“Financing gives customers the opportunity to start and develop their businesses. But it is empowerment that helps them find ways to move up a class,” he said in a statement on Saturday (29/8/2026).
When the two go together, he said, capital does not stop at being a loan, but can turn into products with greater value, stronger businesses, and ultimately improve family welfare.
Astuti’s journey shows how the impact of a business can grow beyond buying and selling. As her business grew, her confidence also developed. She was then trusted to hold the role of head of the waste bank cluster in Kampung Madani, Waru, Penajam.
This role became a new chapter in Astuti’s journey. If previously she was busy making sure harvested mushrooms did not go to waste, now she encourages people in her community to see items considered worthless as something that provides benefits.
From a housewife trying to save leftover harvests, Astuti has now become a driver of environmental awareness in her village.
That change shows that economic empowerment can produce a wider impact when recipients have the opportunity to grow and then give back to their surrounding community.
Astuti’s story illustrates that the journey of an ultra-micro business does not always start from something big. Sometimes it begins with a small kitchen, an unsold harvest, and the courage to try one new way.