Dompu, 13 September 2024— The mini kiosk assistance from PT Sumbawa Timur Mining (STM) for residents of Jala Village, Hu’u Subdistrict, Dompu Regency, has an impact on economic improvement. One of the beneficiaries, Fatimah, uses the mini kiosk to open a dried fish business in her yard. She admitted that STM’s Village Participation Program (PPD) in 2023 was able to increase the amount of her daily income.
Fatimah has been selling dried fish for a long time to help her husband fulfill the family’s needs. According to her, the mini kiosk assistance from STM makes it easier to store and market products. Fatimah’s business has grown and she has customers up to Mataram City and Bima City. She even supplies dried fish for consumption at the Dompu Correctional Institution (Lapas).
Previously, the dried fish produced by Fatimah was only stored on simple boards and bamboo. The appearance was not very attractive and not many potential buyers saw it. This changed after Fatimah was noticed by STM’s Community Development team. She said that the sales potential of her products is getting better. People are getting to know her business more easily.
“There were three stalls given to dried fish sellers in Jala in 2023. Among the beneficiaries, I was the only one who kept the front and displayed the fish like that. Many buyers pass by and stop by. They say it’s much neater and nicer,” said Fatimah on the sidelines of her activities.
After receiving the mini kiosk, Fatimah no longer has to move her fish inside the house, but simply closes it in the afternoon and opens it in the morning. She has been doing this for almost a year. Through STM’s support, Fatimah’s income is capable of reaching the range of Rp500,000-Rp1,000,000 per day compared to the previous level.
To fulfill consumer demand, Fatimah does not work alone. She works in partnership with fisherwomen in Jala Village. Fatimah said that they always provide the best products that are favored by customers. She said that the mini kiosks indirectly benefit the local fisherwomen as they are able to increase the absorption of their fish catch.
According to Fatimah, working with fisherwomen is a mutually beneficial relationship. “I am also the wife of a fisherman. I can feel that this business benefits us to help with household needs. In addition, I also have four small children who need more attention. I can’t fulfill customer demand by myself, so I need the help of the fisherwomen,” she explained.
STM’s Community Relations Manager Ulya Defretes, who was met during the Jala Village clean-up activity, expressed her gratitude that the company’s assistance could benefit the residents. “We are very happy to see that STM’s support can be used and benefited by the residents. This assistance is a form of the company’s concern for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) around the company’s work area,” he said.
PPD is one of the programs run by STM for villages around the company’s working area. This program has been running for a long time and continues to expand its beneficiaries. The program is the result of the residents’ proposals that are determined in the village deliberation with the local village government. Besides the economic sector, PPD also targets empowerment in the fields of health and education.
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Community empowerment is an integral part of the development of PT Sumbawa Timur Mining’s project. Learn more about our other programs here.
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