Pertamina Encourages MSMEs to Go Global, Here is the Story of Fostered Partner that Empowers Former TKI to Have Billions of Turnover  

Jakarta, October 23, 2020 – PT Pertamina (Persero) continues to provide assistance and guidance to fostered MSMEs through the Partnership Program. The coaching scheme that is implemented starts with the conditions of traditional MSMEs who will Go Modern, Go Digital, Go Online until finally, it can penetrate the international market to Go Global.

One of Pertamina's Fostered Partners, Nurchaeti, the owner of N&N International business, has implemented the entire MSME development scheme from Pertamina. Therefore, now she can reap results from her business. However, who would have thought, Nurchaeti's journey into her business was not as easy as turning a palm.

"Initially, I was a TKI (Indonesian Worker) in Singapore. Then in 2013, I decided to return to Indonesia and open a laundry business. The first three months failed until finally it survived and had six branches," she said.

From that experience, Nur's business spirit rise. Starting from participating in culinary business training, Nur gained valuable knowledge about selling prices and marketing management. She also thought about going straight to doing the culinary business. "It turns out that the food selling margin is also big," said Nur.

Initially, Nur tried to produce sweet bread. However, due to a lack of mastering the recipe for making bread dough, making the bread fails. Nur then remembered that her late grandmother had a recipe for delicious banana chips. "At that time, I thought about using a recipe from that has been passed down through generations to become a business opportunity," she said.

Sure enough, with a capital of IDR 100 thousand to buy horn bananas and other ingredients, Nur's business is slowly starting to shine. Until its climax, at the end of 2015, Nur met a chip distributor in Brunei Darussalam at an exhibition. Interested in Nur's products, they also agreed to collaborate to market Nur's products in Brunei. As a result, Nur's banana chip products are booming in the country.

Not only to Brunei, but Nur also admitted that she routinely exports her chip products to various countries every four months. One shipment can reach a container of chips. With a price of IDR 10 thousand per kilogram, she can reap a turnover of IDR 500 million to IDR 800 million per shipment. If there is more than one destination country in one shipment, the turnover can be more than IDR 1 billion.

As happened recently, she shipped one container to Dubai and Qatar. Apart from Qatar, its products have now reached several European countries such as France, Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. In these European countries, apple chips are the main products sold, whereas, in Qatar, jengkol cracker products have become idols.

Initially a home business, Nur now has a workshop in the Karawang area, West Java. There, she has about 260 workers to help her chips production process. By carrying out a sociopreneur-based business, she uses the services of former TKI who are elderly, especially mothers. "I want to build a chip village and be able to empower housewives to earn extra income for their families," she said. Those who are interested in tasting Nurchaeti products can check the social media of @nn_international.

Vice President of Corporate Communication of Pertamina, Fajriyah Usman, appreciated the steps taken by Nurchaeti. According to her, one of the goals of MSMEs is to create employment and economic equality from the smallest level. "So that it can help the government's efforts in alleviating poverty in Indonesia," said Fajriyah.

Pertamina will also help MSMEs upgrade to be superior and independent MSMEs through several stages, such as obtaining business permits or other certificates. After that, Pertamina pushes traditional MSMEs to Go Modern, Go Digital, Go Online, to Go Global. "This is an implementation of the Goal 8 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is hoped that it can help people get decent jobs and encourage national economic growth," concluded Fajriyah.**