GARUT - PT Jaminan Kredit Indonesia, or Jamkrindo, has resumed its series of ongoing sustainable empowerment activities and support initiatives for the community of Garut, West Java, which have been taking place since 2021.
These activities, part of Jamkrindo’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, involve local community organizations under the Salarea Foundation.
On Friday (March 11, 2022), Jamkrindo laid the first stone for the construction of a seed house, followed by the planting of Intan Pratama taro. During the event, the Jamkrindo team also visited the Salarea Waste House to observe the waste processing and plastic recycling activities.
The waste bank is also a part of the environmental care community empowerment (MPL) under the Salarea Foundation, facilitated by Jamkrindo. The following day, Saturday (March 12, 2022), Jamkrindo provided assistance in the form of coffee processing equipment, tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, and barista training for students of Special Education School (SLB) A in Garut.
PT Jamkrindo's President Director, Putrama Wahju Setyawan, emphasized the importance of community empowerment in Garut to support sustainable development goals, stimulate the creation of decent jobs, boost economic growth, and the company’s commitment to addressing environmental issues and disaster mitigation.
“We continuously support community group efforts in empowerment programs, economic strengthening, and environmental preservation. Programs to be implemented this year in Garut include the establishment of a seed house, a barista training program for people with disabilities, taro planting, tree planting, and micro-business financing,” said Putrama in a separate statement.
Jamkrindo's commitment to marginalized groups is also evident in the barista training and mentorship program, which lasts six months and is in collaboration with Pawon Kopi Salarea, a social enterprise unit under the Salarea Foundation.
“In this case, people with disabilities also have the right and opportunity to receive self-development and talent facilitation, as well as to strive for their future independence. Therefore, Jamkrindo strongly supports efforts to empower this special needs group,” Putrama added.
During the same occasion, PT Jamkrindo’s Regional Leader 4 Bandung, Dody Novarianto, further explained that the seed house initiative is part of Jamkrindo's commitment to strengthening the economy of farmers in Garut and supporting environmental conservation efforts.
“We hope that this seed house can provide the necessary seedlings for farmers, particularly for coffee cultivation. The seed house will also produce seedlings for hard plants needed for conservation in critical lands and riverbanks, which are prone to potential disasters due to environmental degradation,” Dody explained.
According to Dody, the seed house is also expected to be part of the agroforestry development to achieve food security for rural communities. "This is also related to the development of taro as a commodity to be planted with several farmer groups in Garut. The goal is to increase taro production and make it a source of income for the farmers," he added.
The founder of the Salarea Foundation, Dadan M Ramdan, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the economic potential of the Intan Pratama taro commodity. "Our millennial farmer groups not only plant taro but also process the harvest into value-added products like taro chips and various other snacks made from taro flour," he explained.
Dadan also expressed deep appreciation for Jamkrindo's support in empowering and assisting the community in Garut over the past year through various activities, including the development of coffee and ginger intercropping commodities, the construction of a waste house, micro-business financing, donations of working capital equipment, and various training programs such as compost making and planting techniques.
“Our partnership with Jamkrindo is expected to add value by strengthening the economy, empowering communities, and enhancing the capacity of farmers and marginalized groups through a series of sustainable intervention programs,” concluded Dadan.