Coordinating Minister Airlangga Encourages Youth To Be Able To Build Entrepreneurship To Empower Communities During A Pandemic

JAKARTA - The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused various impacts on the socio-economic life of the community. During the pandemic, the ratio of the working population to the total working-age population decreased compared to before the pandemic occurred. This makes open unemployment and poverty a challenge that must be overcome immediately.

"To overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government continues to implement the National Economic Recovery Program (PEN) as an instrument for handling health and economic recovery, which includes aspects of health, social protection, support for MSMEs and corporations, support for priority programs, and incentives effort," said Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto when giving a keynote speech at a webinar with the theme Youth Actualization in COVID-19 Prevention and National Economic Recovery, last weekend, Saturday, September 25.

Strengthening Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is also one of the government's efforts to encourage national economic recovery efforts, considering the strategic role of MSMEs as the backbone of the national economy.

In an effort to support MSMEs, especially those affected by the pandemic, the Government has provided various stimuli, including through interest subsidies for both People's Business Credit (KUR) and non-KUR, Government Fund Placement at Partner Commercial Banks, Guarantee Service Fees, Loss Limit Guarantee, Banpres for Productive Micro Businesses, Cash Assistance for Street Vendors and Stalls, as well as the final tax of SMEs borne by the Government.

Efforts in handling COVID-19 and national economic recovery certainly require the participation and participation of the entire community, including youth cadres throughout Indonesia.

"In an effort to handle COVID-19, youth and Karang Taruna cadres are expected to be able to participate as volunteers and play a broad role, for example by becoming health workers, helping campaign and inviting the public to participate in vaccination activities, and implementing 3M, assisting in monitoring the distribution of social assistance so that it is appropriate. targets, and various other volunteer activities," explained Coordinating Minister Airlangga.

In addition, the contribution that youth can make in the recovery of the national economy is through community empowerment, one of which is becoming a social entrepreneur. Social entrepreneurs are not only profit-oriented but also carry out various roles to empower the community.

Through various supports from the Government, it is also hoped that it can encourage the interest of young people to contribute to the national economic recovery. This support from the Government can be used to improve and expand access to financing for productive businesses, assist and maintain the business continuity of micro-enterprises facing the impact of the pandemic, develop competence, increase productivity and competitiveness, and develop entrepreneurship.

"I also wish you a Happy 61st Anniversary of Youth Organization. Karang Taruna is a community social organization whose role is to collect, mobilize and channel the participation of the younger generation as well as become a forum for fostering and developing the younger generation. Karang Taruna is expected to be able to participate in actualizing its role in overcoming various problems currently being faced by the Indonesian people. Hopefully, Karang Taruna can play a major role in efforts to prevent COVID-19 and the National Economic Recovery," concluded Coordinating Minister Airlangga.