Good News From Shopee, They Provide Digital Business Training For People With Disabilities By Collaborating With Gerkatin

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The e-commerce platform Shopee announced the opening of a basic digital business training class aimed at Deaf Friends in Solo. Together with the Community Movement for the Welfare of the Deaf Indonesia (Gerkatin) Surakarta, this training aims to introduce people with disabilities to the basics of digital or online business.

As is known, the COVID-19 pandemic that hit the country made a number of people lose their jobs, including the disabled. The Ministry of Manpower said that in 2020, the number of open unemployment for disabled groups in Indonesia reached 247,000 people or the TPT (Open Unemployment Rate) of 3 percent. Limited knowledge and difficulty in getting access to information are the biggest obstacles for disabled groups, including Teman Deaf, to be independent in the midst of a pandemic.

Shopee Indonesia's Head of Public Affairs, Radynal Nataprawira, explained that the purpose of this program was to increase their understanding in order to achieve economic independence. In line with the #ShopeeAdaUntukUMKM commitment, Shopee wants to help empower local communities through training and mentoring so that deaf friends can also start doing business online and become empowered potential MSME actors.

Furthermore, Radynal said this training will be conducted at the Solo Export SMEs Campus which has been open since last May.

"We believe that everyone should have equal access to opportunities regardless of their background or ability. After opening Shopee Export MSME Campuses in several cities since last May, we want to continue to expand our reach in providing training for more communities," he said in a written statement, Thursday, September 23.

Radynal said that during a dialogue with Gerkatin, his party found the fact that many people with disabilities had lost their jobs during the pandemic and still did not understand online business.

"In fact, there are so many opportunities that they can create in the midst of this digital era. Therefore, on International Sign Language Day today Shopee is pleased to announce the opening of training for Deaf Friends and hopes that this can be a good first step to create more opportunities for Deaf Friends. them," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the DPC Gerkatin Surakarta, Galih Saputro, welcomed this training program and hoped it could add insight and interest to Teman Tuli Solo to start a digital business.

Furthermore, he said, the lack of opportunities for disabled groups to be economically independent is a problem that is still being faced in Indonesia, especially in the midst of a pandemic. As an organization, Gerkatin Surakarta has a mission to become a forum that provides learning and becomes a means of self-actualization.

"We see the training provided by Shopee as a very good first step to increase the interest and understanding of Deaf friends about the digital business that is currently growing. It takes synergy from all parties like this to work hand in hand to help more communities," he said.

For your information, this basic digital business training will begin in early October 2021 and is open to all Deaf Friends in Solo. Friends of Deaf can contact Gerkatin to register and participate in a series of activities that have been prepared by the Shopee Solo MSME Campus.

The material that will be given starts from an introduction to business concepts and how to sell online in e-commerce, getting to know the psychology of buyers before selling, how to use the Shopee application and supporting features to make sales more effective.

In addition to educational materials, Deaf friends who take part in this program can also use the facilities and services available at the MSME Shopee Export Solo Campus such as photo studios and live streaming, as well as consult directly with Shopee to start their online business. All training sessions will be facilitated by a Sign Language Interpreter from the Deaf Volunteering Organization (DVO).