Empowering The Disabled, Pertamina's Fostered Partner Processes Used Goods into High Selling Value Products

Jakarta, March 1, 2021 - Pertamina's commitment to supporting the preservation of nature and empowering the small economy continues to be increased. One of them is the development of micro and small enterprises (MSEs), which are engaged in the processing of used goods. This effort is a way to help MSEs upgrade by transforming processed waste into innovative products.

Andi Baso Achmad Palingrungi can recycle rubbish made from gunny sacks, yarn from unused fishing nets, used bottles, wood roots, bamboo, and other recycled materials that are environmentally friendly, resulting in high economic value. Not only that, but Andi Baso also conducted waste recycling training for people with disabilities, people with leprosy, community scavengers, beggars, and former prisoners.

"At first I lived in a slum area and no one cared about the problem of recycling waste. So I took the initiative to give them knowledge on how to use used goods again," said Andi Baso. Together with eight employees who have been trained, he created these handicrafts.

The winner of the 1st place winner in the Community Empowerment Leading Partner category at the 2015 Pertamina Award started the training in 2010. Until now, there have been thousands of students who have been trained to be independent. "Many people underestimate people with disabilities and people with leprosy. My conscience was moved to pay attention to them. If no one pays attention who else will pay attention," he said

He admitted that it was not easy to invite the people around where he lived to recycle waste because people tend to think that garbage is dirty. Andi Baso is very grateful to change this paradigm by making these worthless items so that the upper-middle-class can accept them into valuable handicrafts.

"I invite people to love the environment so that it is clean. After I showed them how to process waste that can make money, then they were moved to want to be creative," he continued. As many as 90 types of handicrafts can be produced with prices ranging from IDR 10 thousand to IDR 10 million. The recycled lamps can penetrate the market as far as Malaysia. He often participates in MSEs exhibitions so that orders keep coming. For Andi Baso, the most important thing is to maintain quality to compete with imported products.

Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations of Pertamina, Agus Suprijanto, added that Andi's efforts had reflected ESG in the social sector and SDGs number 8 goal of providing work and supporting economic growth. "Pertamina through the Partnership Program will continue to support small businesses such as Baso Craft so that they can continue to grow and penetrate the global market," he said.**