Huge number of small & medium businesswomen attend TEI 2019
Zubair Qureshi
Jakarta
Trade Expo Indonesia (TEI 2019) which is ending Sunday (today) has turned out to be a milestone with regard to women entrepreneurs’ participation in the five-day event.
A large number of these entrepreneurs, small and medium businesswomen, investors and those working at managerial level at various business houses and companies participated in the five-day event (Oct 16-20) and shared their experiences and success stories with their colleagues.
According to Ms Indrawati Sinaga, CEO of PT Gias, the TEI has become a great forum of interaction on business-to-business and individual-to-individual level as it generates diverse opportunities of growth in macro as well as micro businesses.
“I have been attending TEI for several years as it contributes to growth of my small business,” she said adding, “I have held several meetings to enhance my company’s profile.”
Besides PT Gias, Ms Indrawati has also set up UKM (Small Business Enterprises) that again is a platform for women empowerment and financial independence through skill learning.
Speaking high of the Indonesia government’s business-friendly steps Indrawati said last year due to the government’s support and special interest in promoting small and medium businesswomen, SME registered one percent increase (from 2.5pc to 3.5pc) but this year it has jumped to around 5pc that is indeed an achievement and compliment of the outgoing government’s trade policies, said she.
Indonesian women are becoming catalyst for the country’s economic growth, not only they are decision makers among Indonesian families, the government itself has taken action to improve the business environment for women entrepreneurs.
Indrawati spoke in detail how she along with other businesswomen of Jakarta downtown was running small projects to empower their fellow women.
We are engaging them in small businesses like manufacturing of creams, lotions and other make-up articles, clothes, embroidery and traditional items, accessories, etc even some women are earning handsome amount by making tissue papers, she said.
“Our trade department supports us and offers easy loans and other incentives to establish our own businesses,” she further said. About the overall role of the Indonesian women in the country’s social uplift and economic growth, Indrawati said women were getting increasingly aware to do something productive and useful. After their husbands leave for offices or after driving their children to schools, they spend some quality time in training their community in Small & Medium businesses, said she.
At her community level, Indrawati herself has established UKM and under its banner women are learning various skills to be financially independent.
Indonesia women’s role is also recognized by the international organisations whose reports and academic researches through the years suggest women are increasingly taking part in various economic activities in order to eliminate poverty and boost the economy of Indonesia.
