Duta Sahabat Usaha Rakyat Is Created To Target MSMEs

Duta Sahabat Usaha Rakyat Is Created To Target MSMEs

JAKARTA - The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) and the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) launched a program targeting MSMEs (Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises), namely Duta Literasi Sahara (Sahabat Usaha Rakyat). What are the programs from these two institutions like?

The increasing potential and interest in investing in the Indonesian capital market have prompted various efforts to introduce more financial inclusion and sustainable financial sector instruments.

Based on data released by MSMEs in Indonesia, the MSME sector, including traditional retail shops, has contributed an average gross domestic product (GDP) of around 57.8% per year or around IDR 8,000 trillion.

By type, traditional retail stalls are the most numerous retail outlets in Indonesia, with as many as 3.61 million stores by the end of 2021. The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) is doing this by utilizing a network of traditional retail stalls, MSMEs, and community-scale business actors who are incorporated in 100,000 food posts.

Financial Inclusion

Seeing the potential that exists, Kadin and IDX created an information dissemination program on the importance of financial and capital market inclusion called the Duta Literasi Sahara on Monday 27 February. This concrete effort is part of expanding interest in capital market investment in all areas of food posts that are spread to remote areas.

Under the coordination of Kadin Indonesia, the Duta Literasi Sahara program is a continuation of the Memorandum of Understanding between IDX and Kadin Indonesia, which is the scope of education, socialization, and training in order to increase knowledge and skills in the capital market sector.

"Duta Literasi Sahara can foster and strengthen traditional stalls, retail shops, and MSMEs in their area. Later, one Duta Literasi Sahara will manage 2 sub-districts. Within each sub-district, there are 35 to 50 Sahara Shops," said Sharmila Yahya, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Entrepreneurship of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Sharmila, who was appointed as the person in charge of the Duta Literasi Sahara program, also emphasized that the community has the right to participate in developing this business-strengthening program, accompanied by financial education and investment in the capital market. "The focus of the Duta Literasi Sahara is to invite the surrounding community to introduce and motivate them in financial education and investment in the capital market for the future," said the Sahara founder who is also the General Chairperson of Indonesian Women Entrepreneurs Cooperation (Inkowapi).

Meanwhile, on the same occasion, IDX Director Iman Rachman emphasized that the Duta Sahara Literasi would provide education to approximately 100,000 micro and small business actors who are members of the food post as literacy and education agents. "IDX invites hundreds of thousands of Sahara food post businesses to take part in the Capital Market School (SPM) which is being held with IDX Representative Offices (KP) in their respective regions. Later the Duta Literasi Sahara chosen by Kadin will receive special training on investment and capital markets," said Iman.

The Dura Literasi Sahara initiated by Kadin and IDX is a follow-up to the collaboration with the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs on multi-stakeholder partnerships that aim to accelerate the eradication of extreme poverty through the establishment of food posts in every sub-district to strengthen traditional stalls, retail shops and MSMEs in all regions in Indonesia.