YPMAK Empowers Community Economy Through Village Working Group Programme
Timika (ANTARA) — The Amungme and Kamoro Community Empowerment Foundation (YPMAK), which manages PT Freeport Indonesia’s partnership funds, is promoting community economic empowerment through the Village Working Group (Pokja) programme.
YPMAK’s Economic Programme Division Head, Oktovianus Jangkup, said in Timika on Sunday that the Village Pokja programme was designed to promote economic self-sufficiency among the Amungme and Kamoro tribes, as well as five other related Papuan tribes — the Dani, Damal, Moni, Mee, and Nduga — as beneficiaries of PT Freeport Indonesia’s partnership funds.
“The village working groups are spread across coastal areas, Timika city, and the highlands,” he said.
The number of village working groups for 2025 comprises 68 groups spread across coastal areas, 15 in urban areas, and eight in the highland areas of Mimika. He noted that the working group management term lasts one year, and the Economic Programme Division is currently preparing for the socialisation of the formation of 2026 working group committees.
He explained that the formation of village working groups is carried out by the village communities themselves. Each working group committee consists of five members chosen by the community to represent five elements within the village: village officials, customary leaders, women’s representatives, youth representatives, and religious figures.
“Each element must be represented by one person in the committee,” he said.
Once a working group is formed, the committee holds meetings with the community to discuss and finalise a Budget Plan (RAB) for the village work programme. The work programme is focused on community economic empowerment with the participation of village residents.
He expressed hope that communities would make good use of the Village Pokja programme to improve their economic livelihoods through the economic empowerment programmes that have been jointly developed with residents in each working group.