KAI Committed to Boosting MSMEs to Level Up
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, or MSMEs, are one of the leading driving forces in economic development. MSMEs are highly flexible and can easily adapt to the ups, downs, and directions of market demands. They also create jobs faster than other business sectors and make significant contributions to exports and trade. Therefore, MSMEs are a vital aspect of national economic development.
Large companies, both SOEs and private firms, have a commitment that must be realized, which is mentoring small businesses to jointly boost the national economy. To achieve this effort, programs are needed to provide motivation, innovation, and energy for Fostered Partners in running their businesses so they always remain optimistic in accepting and winning the challenges they face.
One of PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero)'s key concerns is encouraging MSMEs to play a larger role so they can continue to advance, develop, and compete in the national industrial world. Currently, there are 806 MSMEs fostered by KAI across various cities, operating in distinct business sectors such as industry, trade, agriculture, livestock, plantations, fisheries, and services.
KAI routinely organizes development programs for its fostered partners, such as providing training, participation in national/international exhibitions, and certifications for its fostered partners.
In 2021, as many as 42 fostered partners were given training, and in the first semester of 2022, 35 fostered partners received it. This number will continue to grow in the future.
In addition, the participation of fostered partners in national and international exhibitions in 2021 occurred 1 time, and in the first semester of 2022, it reached 3 exhibitions.
Furthermore, KAI also conducts business certifications by BNSP LSP for its fostered partners. Counting from 2021 to the first semester of 2022, there are 47 fostered partners who have been certified.
Starting in 2022, this MSME development program is packaged under the name MiKA (Mitra KAI / KAI Partners), which is divided into three areas: MiKa Hasanah, which is a certification program for fostered partners; MiKa Next Class, to provide training from practitioners and academics regarding crisis situation management; and MiKa Go Global, where KAI's fostered partners will be included to participate in several national and international scale exhibitions.
VP Public Relations of KAI Joni Martinus said this program is a form of KAI's responsibility in building the nation and encouraging MSMEs, especially KAI's fostered partners, to continuously improve their business operations.
"The goal of this program is to help fostered partner MSMEs handle crises, increase innovation and improvement to support business activities, and certainly enhance financial management in running their businesses. KAI wants to create resilient fostered partners, so that Indonesia can continue to grow, progress, and prosper together with KAI in building the nation," Joni explained.
Noviani Restiana, a handicraft accessories entrepreneur who owns the brand Hilza Collection from Jakarta, admitted that she was highly assisted by KAI's fostered partner program. According to her, this program is very beneficial for the advancement of her business. She expressed her gratitude to KAI, which has continuously provided assistance that has brought many deeply felt benefits to MSME actors.
"Hopefully, in the future, KAI can continue to provide excellent programs like this so that my business can advance and keep developing to level up even further, thank you KAI," she said.
KAI's support for the MSME sector has also previously received appreciation from various circles. In 2021, KAI received the Top CSR Awards 2021 held by Top Business magazine, the Golden Champion in Corporate Social Responsibility at the Bisnis Indonesia Corporate Social Responsibility Award (BISRA) 2021, the Indonesia Green Awards 2021 organized by The La Tofi School of CSR, the 8th UNS SME's Awards as the Best Transportation SOE executing PKBL for MSME Development, and most recently achieved was the Gold Champion in CSR Program for Non-Listed SOE/BUMD at the BISRA 2022 event.
KAI will continue to contribute to MSMEs in Indonesia so they become independent and increasingly level up.
"With various programs and training that KAI provides to fostered partners, it is expected to be able to boost the competitiveness of MSMEs and further improve the quality of their business products. Ultimately, the fostered partners can promote their products more optimally to continue competing to become featured domestic MSMEs," concluded Joni.
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