PNM Customer Mekaar Wins Local Eye Award 2025, From Ultra Micro Business To Macro Impact

Archives. President Director of PT PNM Arief Mulyadi. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Ema Suranta, a customer of PNM Mekaar won an award at the 2025 Local Eye Award for the Local Ace in Organic Waste Transformation sub-category. This award was handed over directly by the CEO of the Tribune Network, Dahlan Dahi, at the 2025 Local Eyes Fest which took place on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Jakarta.

With the support of the Mekaar PNM program, Ema started a larvae cultivation effort of Black Soldier Fly (maggot) to process organic waste. The initial capital he obtained as a Mekaar customer allowed Ema to develop a processing system to be able to absorb 2 tons of waste every week. From this waste, fresh beards and casgots are produced which are now an additional source of income for local residents.

The President Director of PNM, Arief Mulyadi, said that "The empowerment of the people's economy not only encourages independence, but also gives birth to agents of change who are able to bring real solutions to social and environmental challenges. We feel proud and inspired by this achievement, PNM will continue to be present to provide hope and opportunities for pre-sesejahtera women to be economically independent. With access to financing without collateral and intensive assistance, we want to ensure that every PNM customer can develop sustainably," he said.

Ema's fighting spirit in turning a pile of garbage into a source of hope for the environment, society and a common future, started with his anxiety about seeing piles of garbage in his village that had not been managed properly.

"Thank you also to PNM for truly supporting us as customers and thanking the Tribun Network for their trust. This award is a responsibility as well as encouragement for us to continue to innovate," Ema added.

Moreover, the explosion and landslide of garbage at TPA Leuwigajah, Cimahi on February 21, 2005 further ignited Ema's determination to make Bukit Berlian Waste Bank not only a sorting place, but also a center for education, empowerment, and environmental social movements.

With the support of PNM, Ema began cultivating the larvae of the Black Soldier Fly or what is known as a maggot to process organic waste.

Ema's initiative also has a positive impact not only on the surrounding community, but also on the environment and is in line with the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched by the United Nations.

The award winners have passed an assessment curation that adheres to the value of sustainability by a row of judges from various professional and credible backgrounds in their fields, namely Dian Gemiano (CMO of KG Media), Rika Anggraini (Director of Communications and Partnerships of the KEHATI Foundation), Lembu Wiworo Jati (Executive Creative Director at Future Creative Network-Finch), and Defri Dwipaputra (Executive Creative Director of Dentsu Creative).