Inviting Public Support of MSMEs, Pertamina Has Nusantara Entrepreneur Gallery

Jakarta, July 4, 2021 - The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has forced all parties to be alert. It starts from applying health protocols to fulfilling a balanced nutritional intake to increase the body's immunity. PT Pertamina (Persero), through the MSE Funding Program, has many fostered partners who produce a variety of delicious and healthy culinary delights.

Acting Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations of Pertamina, Fajriyah Usman, explained that one of the parties most affected by the pandemic were MSEs. For this reason, Fajriyah invites the community to be in symbiosis with one of the national economic heroes, namely the MSE actors.

"One of them is by buying the products of these MSEs. Buy as needed, for example, food or drinks that are healthy and maintain a healthy body. There is no need to buy directly. It can be through social media or the MSEs' marketplace," she said.

That way, more MSEs can be adaptive amidst the pandemic. They can even be able to become upgraded MSEs during a crisis like this. Information on MSEs assisted by Pertamina that provide healthy food or beverage products can be seen on the social media of the Nusantara Entrepreneur Gallery @gen_umkm.

One of them is the SiDaun product owned by Pertamina's fostered partner, Ela Rohayati. The name SiDaun itself is taken from the abbreviation of cassava leaves. Ela is one of the MSEs that produces healthy snacks, namely chips made from leaves. "Not only cassava leaves, but we have also innovated chips from papaya leaves, and in the future, Moringa and betel leaves," she said.

To maintain modern feels, Ela also beautifies the appearance of her products with contemporary packaging. It has succeeded in increasing the buyer's interest until she can produce 3000 packs of chips every month. "Consumers do not need to worry about the quality. Because our products already have NIB, IUMK, PIRT, HALAL, and HAKI. The menus can be seen at @sidaun_official," she explained.

Currently, Ela empowers as many as four employees in her production house on Jl. Kiara Asri VI No. 6, Sukapura, Kiaracondong, Bandung. At the beginning of the last pandemic, she applied the sociopreneur concept by helping people affected by the pandemic. "We hire and train musicians affected by the pandemic so they can become entrepreneurs," she explained.

According to Fajriyah, through the MSE Funding Program, Pertamina wants to provide energy that can move the economy--energy that fuels and energy that produce sustainable growth.

Pertamina also supports SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) point 8 achievements through implementing ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)-based programs in all of its operational areas. It is part of the environmental and social responsibility to realize economic benefits in the community.**