Gender Equality Indonesia Project #73710

Empower Women with Sustainable Livelihood

by Yayasan Lembaga Kajian Pengembangan Pendidikan Sosial Agama dan Kebudayaan (INFEST)

Project Report | Feb 21, 2026
Empowering Women Community Business in Blitar, Indonesia

By Edi Purwanto | Project Staff

BLITAR, INDONESIA – The Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Community (KOPI) from five villages in Blitar Regency, in collaboration with the INFEST Foundation, convened a strategic planning forum to formulate the 2026 Community Business Development Plan.

The forum, titled “Strategic Planning for Community Business Development across 5 Villages in Blitar Regency 2026,” was held on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at Puri Arta Hotel, Blitar. The meeting gathered 34 participants, including board members of KOPI and Community-Owned Enterprises (BUMKOPI) from Gogodeso, Jatinom, Pandanarum, Lorejo, and Sumberagung, alongside representatives of the Blitar Regency KOPI board and the INFEST team.

Since its establishment in late 2022, KOPI’s economic empowerment initiatives have evolved with varied outcomes. Some village enterprises have demonstrated steady growth and resilience, while others have encountered stagnation or operational setbacks. The meeting provided a structured space for evaluation, peer learning, and forward-looking strategy development.

Village Business Reflections and Strategic Directions Gogodeso: Strengthening Professional Retail Management

Naim, Chairperson of KOPI Gogodeso, which manages a basic food supplies (sembako) store, emphasized the need for stronger managerial systems.

“Our store is running, but we recognize gaps in management and marketing strategy. This meeting has opened our eyes to the importance of detailed business planning so that we do not merely operate—but truly grow.”

The 2026 roadmap includes improving bookkeeping systems, inventory management, pricing strategy, and local promotional outreach.

Pandanarum: Expanding the Organic Fertilizer Market

In Pandanarum, the enterprise focus centers on organic fertilizer production. Sudarmianto, Chairperson of KOPI Pandanarum, highlighted the main constraint: market access.

“We have a high-quality product, but access to broader markets and modern marketing technology remains limited. With the 2026 strategy, we hope to reach farmers beyond our own village.”

The new strategy includes:

Strengthening branding and packaging
Exploring digital marketing channels
Building partnerships with farmer groups in neighboring districts
Enhancing production consistency and quality assurance

Jatinom: Institutional Strengthening and Shared Ownership

Sundoko, Chairperson of KOPI Jatinom, underscored that sustainable retail operations require collective commitment.

“Our strategy moving forward focuses on institutional strengthening and fairer role distribution, ensuring the business truly belongs to the community.”

The 2026 plan prioritizes clearer task allocation, transparent financial reporting, and stronger member engagement to maintain long-term viability.

Lorejo and Sumberagung: Aligning Business with Local Capacity

Representatives from Lorejo and Sumberagung emphasized aligning enterprise models with local skills and resources. Rather than replicating identical business types, both villages aim to refine models suited to their demographic composition, market conditions, and available capital.

This approach reflects a growing maturity in community economic planning—prioritizing feasibility, risk mitigation, and adaptive management.

Strengthening the Economic Pillar of Migrant Worker Protection

Economic empowerment within KOPI is not solely about income generation. It functions as a strategic pillar of protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) and their families.

Hadi, Program Manager at INFEST Foundation, explained:

“KOPI was established as a support system and a partner to village governments. After successfully addressing legal assistance and human resource training, the focus is now shifting toward economic strengthening. While enthusiasm is high, business management requires a structured and methodical approach.”

He further emphasized that the meeting transformed practical experiences—both failures and successes—into a measurable and actionable Follow-Up Plan (Rencana Tindak Lanjut – RTL).

“We want to ensure these community enterprises generate genuine economic independence for migrant workers’ families.”

This reflects INFEST’s integrated empowerment framework, where economic resilience complements legal protection, social support, and institutional strengthening.

A Shared Commitment Toward 2026

The strategic planning forum concluded with a comprehensive development roadmap for 2026, including:

Strengthened financial governance systems
Diversified and risk-mitigated business portfolios
Expanded market access and marketing innovation
Enhanced institutional accountability
Capacity-building for board members and managers

The meeting marked a significant milestone in the collective journey toward community-based economic independence in Blitar Regency.

Through structured planning, collaborative learning, and shared accountability, KOPI and INFEST reaffirm their commitment to transforming remittances and migrant labor sacrifices into sustainable local prosperity—ensuring that economic empowerment becomes a foundation for long-term social resilience.

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Feb 9, 2026
The 2026 Roadmap for Economic Empowerment

By Edi Purwanto | Project Staff

Dear Supporters and Partners,

Building economic independence in rural communities requires more than just passion—it requires a methodical strategy. On December 13, 2025, the Indonesian Migrant Workers' Community (KOPI) in Blitar Regency took a decisive step toward this goal. In collaboration with the INFEST Foundation and AWO International, 32 community leaders gathered at the KOPI Gogodeso Secretariat to formulate the 2026 Community Business Development Plan.

Since 2022, these community-owned businesses (BUMKOPI) have navigated the highs and lows of the market. This session was about turning those years of "real-world" experience into a measurable roadmap for growth.

Strategic Innovations Across Five Villages

Through intensive focus group discussions, our community chairpersons outlined bold new directions for their respective enterprises:

Retail & Digital Modernization (KOPI Jatinom): Led by Sundoko, this group is diversifying into the contemporary beverage market with low-overhead, high-margin iced tea ventures. Simultaneously, they are digitizing their retail inventory management to compete in the modern economy.
Empowering Local Networks (KOPI Gogodeso): Under Ainun Naim's leadership, the focus is shifting toward a partnership model. By turning local small stalls into agents and launching a member loyalty program, they are building a protective economic ecosystem for their neighbors.
Sustainable Agriculture (KOPI Pandanarum): For Sudarmianto and his team, 2026 is the year of quality. They are pursuing official certification for their organic fertilizers and working with agricultural experts to ensure their products meet national standards, thereby supporting wider market penetration.

Beyond Profit: A Pillar of Protection

As Edi Purwanto, Project Officer for INFEST, noted: "We are moving from survival to flourishing." This initiative is a critical component of our protection framework for Migrant Workers. By creating stable, community-owned jobs at home, we ensure that the hard-earned remittances sent from abroad are transformed into sustainable assets. It reduces pressure on families to take unsafe migration routes and lays a foundation for local prosperity.

The result of this session is a specific, measurable Follow-Up Plan (RTL) that will guide our actions through 2026.

Dear friends, your support makes this level of professional training and strategic planning possible. Together, we are helping migrant families build a future where they are no longer just workers, but owners of their own economic destiny.

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Feb 6, 2026
Empowering Migrant Families: Building a Sustainable Economic Roadmap for 2026

By Edi Purwanto | Project Staff

Dear Supporters and Partners,

In a significant step toward economic resilience, the Indonesian Migrant Workers’ Community (KOPI) across five villages in Blitar Regency, in partnership with the INFEST Foundation, recently convened to chart a strategic path for the future. On December 14, 2025, 34 community leaders and stakeholders gathered in Blitar to formulate the 2026 Community Business Development Plan.

From Reflection to Action

Since the launch of these community-led enterprises in late 2022, the journey has been one of diverse challenges and triumphs. While some businesses have flourished, others have encountered operational hurdles. This meeting provided a vital space for "methodical reflection"—turning past lessons into future growth.

Key highlights from the village leaders include:

Professional Management: KOPI Gogodeso is moving beyond basic operations to focus on sophisticated marketing and management for their grocery business.
Market Expansion: KOPI Pandanarum aims to scale their organic fertilizer production by embracing modern technology to reach farmers outside their local region.
Institutional Strengthening: KOPI Jatinom is prioritizing fair role distribution to ensure their retail ventures are truly community-owned and sustainable.

Economics as a Shield

At its core, this initiative is about more than just profit. Sofwan Hadi, Program Manager at INFEST, emphasized that economic empowerment is a critical "pillar of protection" for migrant workers and their families. By establishing stable income streams at home, the community reduces its vulnerability and builds long-term independence.

"We are transforming real-world experiences—both successes and setbacks—into a measurable Follow-Up Plan (RTL). Our goal is to ensure these enterprises create genuine economic autonomy for migrant families."

Looking Ahead to 2026

The session concluded with a comprehensive roadmap for 2026. This commitment ensures that the hard-earned remittances of migrant workers are invested back into their hometowns, nurturing sustainable prosperity and local pride.

Thank you for standing with these women and their communities as they build a brighter, more independent future.

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