Ministry of Manpower assesses impact of start-up capital support
The Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) has personally inspected the business development of recipients of start-up capital support for the Self-Employed (TKM) in the Purwakarta district of West Java.
This inspection was part of the Ministry’s monitoring of business progress following the receipt of support through the TKM program.
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The inspection was led by Sugeng Heri Suseno, Director General of Manpower Placement and Employment Expansion (Binapenta and PKK) at the Ministry of Manpower.
He visited businesses in the culinary sector (pastry production) and the fisheries and maritime sector (catfish farming). Both businesses received initial start-up capital support followed by advanced TKM support through a partnership between the Ministry of Manpower and PT Indo-Rama Synthetics Tbk.
Sugeng emphasized that the TKM program does not end with the provision of start-up capital. The Ministry of Manpower continues to closely monitor the development of supported businesses to ensure that the assistance provided stimulates growth and yields broader benefits.
“We hope the beneficiaries’ businesses continue to grow, so that the benefits of the support are not only experienced by the beneficiaries themselves but also create employment opportunities for the surrounding community,” said Sugeng.
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One of the beneficiaries, Ihat Sari Ningsih (50), has been running a culinary business since 2010. She received TKM support for beginners in 2020 and subsequently TKM support for established businesses in 2021. This assistance helped her keep her business running when the coronavirus pandemic made business conditions extremely difficult.
“At that time, the coronavirus and the crisis were really tough. Fortunately, when we received the TKM support for beginners, we were able to grow, recover, and get our business back on track,” said Ihat.
Ihat produces various culinary products. One product rapidly gaining popularity is puff pastry, as demand for it continues to rise.
Recognizing this opportunity, she began seriously developing puff pastry products—items that were relatively hard to find in Purwakarta at the time. With TKM support, she purchased production machinery and an oven, thereby increasing production capacity.
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This increase in production was accompanied by market growth. Orders come not only from Purwakarta but also from Bandung, Depok, Jakarta, and various other areas. As the business expanded,
Ihat was able to purchase a higher-capacity machine and now employs four permanent staff members. Due to the rising volume of orders, he also hired contract workers.
“Orders don’t just come from Purwakarta; they also come from Bandung, Depok, Jakarta, and other areas. So, we have many customers outside Purwakarta,” said Ihat.
However, production capacity remains a challenge because Ihat currently has only one machine, while the demand for puff pastry keeps growing. He hopes to acquire more production equipment and staff as his business expands.
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Muhamad Najmudin (30), who has been developing catfish hatchery and farming facilities since 2020, has also experienced business growth. In 2021, he received support from the Beginner TKM program (TKM Pemula) at a time when he had no prior experience in fish farming. In addition to financial aid, Najmudin also received business guidance.
Support from the Beginner TKM program is used to purchase fish, while support from the Advanced TKM program in 2022 is being used to acquire various equipment and fully outfit the ponds.
Najmudin has gone from a site he initially rented using proceeds from his rice harvest to having his own location and pond.
“Thank God, the support from TKM was truly valuable. At first, I had no experience and no land of my own—I even paid the rent with rice. Now, I have my own site and pond,” said Najmudin.
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Najmudin is currently developing his own hatchery so that he no longer needs to purchase stock from outside sources. During the harvest, he engages three to four workers on a piecework basis to handle the harvesting process and transport the products to market.
In the future, he plans to expand the business into downstream operations, covering everything from breeding and processing to independent sales. ***REL
