Ngenang Women Juggling Processed Fish Food

BATAM – In the last three days, the atmosphere in Ngenang, Nongsa district is different from the usual. In one of the rooms, women are enthusiast in making processed food from fish. Starting from grinding mackerel with blender, mixed with flour and seasonings, made in a form of balls and then boiled, until sometime and after that lifted. Fish meatballs then cooked to suit one’s taste.

After that, they mix grinded mackerel with flour and starch. Next, put garlic and fried onion then stirred well. Then, the mixture will be steam in a cormorant with little fire. After being cooked, lifted and cut in dice to be coated with eggs and flour, then stir fry. Fish nugget is ready to be served.

Nurlina and the others look excited. They feel so happy when they are taught to make various processed products from fish through Coastal Women’s Entrepreneurship Training Program, for three days, 16 – 18 October 2017.

PT Pertamina Trans Kontinental (PTK) CSR Program in collaboration with the Center for Coastal Community Empowerment and Services (P3MP) is very observant in encouraging the spirit of women in the coastal area of Ngenang Island to be creative.

Nurlina admitted, at first, housewives that live in the coastal area of Pulau Ngenang did not realize that the fish they consume daily can be processed to various foods.

“All this time, we only knew that the way to eat fish is either to be deep fried or grilled. Now, we can process fish to be meatballs, crackers and even nuggets,” said Nurlina.

This young woman feels blessed that she can learn how to make fish processed food. “I Thank God that three days attended this training, we already can make fish processed food. Even though is still a learning process, we are very proud. We can produce fish processed foods for families and will keep on practicing so that the products can compete in the market,” she said.

Nur Gunariaty, the facilitator of the training, feel touched with their spirit to produce processed foods. She patiently trains and exemplify in detail from introducing the material, processing until packaging.
“They are very excited. It is a great pleasure to know that their processed food is as expected. In the future, they can create other processed foods to serve nutritious foods for family. I hoped that their spirit to sell the processed foods in the market can be achieved.

Through technical guidance program for coastal women, they are trained to be an independent female figure. This gives a broad economic impact for the coastal community of Pulau Ngenang, Batam because this can be their source of income especially housewives that originally only expected income from their spouse who work as fishermen.*eka/ft. Adityo