Skills Training for Higher Income

Digital Skills Training for Income Generation and Jobs Creation

COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and encouraged the growth of ICT sector in Indonesia. Costumers’ behavioural shift from offline to online grocery shopping, following official social distancing recommendation, creates growing job opportunities as well as business creation/expansion related to e-commerce that require specific ICT skills set. To capture these opportunities, in collaboration with Clevio Coder Camp, the Project provides digital skills training through three training programmes, namely i) digital marketing for e-commerce, ii) wordpress for e-commerce, and iii) coding for web-development, in the months of June – November 2021. Clevio also conducts 2 special batches for women refugees on Digital Marketing for Resellers. While the main beneficiaries of these training are population in eastern part of Indonesia, the training are open for people with disabilities, refugees, PLHIV and key populations vulnerable to HIV in other parts of Indonesia. By acquiring digital skills through these trainings, beneficiaries will be able to improve their livelihoods by becoming digital talents to work at ICT sector or becoming a freelance.

Ecotourism Development for Income Generation and Jobs Creation

The project sets out to provide skills trainings to promote, enable, and improve the development of eco-tourism in two targeted locations: West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara in collaboration with Yayasan Ekowisata Indonesia. With participants coming from a total of 15-20 tourism villages in West Nusa Tenggara (Praya and Rinjani) and 3 areas in East Nusa Tenggara (Labuan Bajo, Ende, and Bajawa), the training will enable the creation of 45-60 tour products fulfilling all ecotourism tour product principles and comply with the Cleanliness-Health-Safety-Environment standards. Through four training programmes, participants will have new or strengthened skills set that will enable them to increase the quality and adaptability of local tourism products as well as to expand their market catchment in the face of a transforming market after the pandemic.

Agriculture and Product Development Training for Income Improvement

Together with Perkumpulan Terasmitra, the project provides agriculture and product development training in West Nusa Tenggara and Gorontalo provinces from July – September 2021. There are six training programmes: 2 training in West Nusa Tenggara, namely i) permaculture training, ii) VCO and coconut oil production training; and 4 training in Gorontalo, namely iii) agro-food processing training, iv) VCO and coconut oil production training, v) briquetting of corn cobs and energy efficient stoves training, and vi) organic fertilizer production training. Selected participants also receive additional training on entrepreneurship training, packaging, and digital marketing to complement their skills that will enable them to create and/or improve their businesses. Upon the completion of the training, participants will see an increase of monthly income by 40%.

Sorghum Production and Food Processing Training in East Nusa Tenggara

In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, securing food security and nutrition become crucial especially in the face of diminishing income. The availability of idle lands and recent local government regulation on the use of sorghum as complement staple food in mothers and baby clinics create opportunities for the revitalisation of sorghum, local staple that got side-lined with the introduction of rice, as a promising source of income in East Nusa Tenggara. In collaboration with Yayasan Pembangunan Sosial Ekonomi (Yaspensel) Larantuka, the project provides a series of training on sorghum production and post production, namely i) production and post-harvest of sorghum, ii) sorghum-based food processing and food safety, iii) management of sorghum waste, and iv) institution and financial management. Conducted in June – December 2021, the training aim to increase participants’ monthly income by 40% by implementing skills gained from the training.

Entrepreneurship as a Key to Income Generation and Jobs Creation

As million lost their jobs and thousands of business are struggling to survive during the pandemic, introduction and strengthening entrepreneurship skills can be a key to identify income opportunities, to start and develop businesses. To assist struggling business owners and furloughed workers in East Nusa Tenggara, the project together with Perkumpulan Pondok Pergerakan provide entrepreneurship training in three (3) districts in East Nusa Tenggara. In Larantuka sub-District, as fishery is the main industry, entrepreneurship training will be complemented with fishery food processing training, to bring about creation of fishery small businesses. In one village in Kupang District, where weaving is the main economic activity, Pondok Pergerakan complements entrepreneurship training with woven cloth (tenun) product development training to bring added value to traditional fabrics.

Traditional Weaving Meets Modern Fashion Design

Through fashion design and product development training with Yayasan Rame Rame Jakarta, the project will empower female participants with new or strengthened skills set that will complement their traditional cloth weaving activities to get additional income in two areas in East Nusa Tenggara, namely Nggela and Manggarai Barat. Additionally, the training will deliver special batches for people living with HIV and key populations vulnerable to HIV, enabling them to design and develop fashionable products highlighting Indonesia’s traditional fabrics. After series of training in July – November 2021, participants will see an increase of 40% of their monthly income.

Agriculture and Agro-food Processing Training for Income Generation and Jobs Creation

Impacts of economic slowdown due to COVID-19 are felt throughout Indonesia at different proportion. Population in rural area have seen their income opportunities further diminished as urban centres consumption slowed down. The closure of market place further shrunk opportunities for rural population who depend mostly on the sale of agriculture produce to gain income. Intensification and diversification of agriculture productivity is one way to overcome this challenge. Therefore, together with Perkumpulan Mnukwar Papua, the project provides agriculture and product development training for rural and sub-urban population of Manokwari District, West Papua. There are five training programmes from introduction of agriculture mechanisation, organic farming system, to the production and marketing of agro-food products. With the skills gained from the training, participants will see an increase of income up to 10% as farm productivity rise and raw materials transformed to better-valued products.

Marine Engine Maintenance and Repair Training for Income Generation and Jobs Creation

COVID-19 pandemic emphasises and demonstrates the importance of access to essential services. As an archipelagic country, Indonesia faces particular challenges when it comes to provide secure and equal access for all. This is even more apparent in remote and small islands. The area of Banggai Laut District in Central Sulawesi is 80% water, making boats as the main transportation means for its population. However, the number of mechanics or repair shops specializing on marine engines is almost non-existent. Fishermen and villagers repair and maintain their small boats without proper knowledge, resulting in sub-optimal machines and shortened machines’ lifetime. To ensure transportation means during emergency, such as accessing the hospital for COVID-19 patients, and to support the livelihoods of coastal populations, the project and Yayasan Puter Indonesia conduct small marine engines maintenance and repair training. The training collaborates with marine engine makers to produce skilled mechanics specialising on small marine engines, as well as new businesses of machine repair and spare parts shops.

Digital Content Writing Training for Visually Impaired People

COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation and the adoption of digital technology, opening new opportunities for those who were traditionally excluded from certain economic activities if they have the necessary digital skills. With increasing possibilities for people to work remotely or online, people with disabilities who may have mobility problems in the past can now access digital work opportunities. Moreover, as business are required to have digital presence to survive during the pandemic, needs for digital marketing skills have soared. Visually impaired people may take on these growing opportunities, focusing on the digital skills that are most suitable and interesting for them. With the option of working online and remotely, they can work anywhere and stay in an environment that is safe and accommodative to their needs. Therefore, together with Suarise, the project provides digital content writing for visually impaired people. By equipping the participants with specific and relevant digital skills, the project provides new livelihood options for people with disabilities, a small yet significant step to rebuild better after COVID-19.

Barista Skills for People with Disabilities and Refugees

With millions of jobs lost, working opportunities for people with disabilities who were traditionally excluded will be even scarcer. To ensure livelihoods for this vulnerable group, the project sets out to provide barista training for people with disabilities. Together with Sunyi Academy who have been training people with hearing disabilities, the project trains future barista to fill in future demands for barista. Indonesia has seen a growing numbers of cafes in its big cities. While such growth has been disrupted by COVID-19, once the pandemic is over, the demands for barista will rise again. Skilled barista with hearing disabilities will be able to capture such opportunity, making F&B sector more inclusive and aware of the potential of people with disabilities.

Due to high interest in practical skills training amongst refugees, the training is also accessible to refugees in DKI Jakarta and surrounding area, enabling them to gain skills to be a barista that will assist them to find employment or to create a business in the future.

Culinary and Digital Marketing Training for PLHIV and Key Populations Vulnerable to HIV

As job opportunities shrunk due to COVID-19, people with HIV and key populations vulnerable to HIV faced additional barriers. Being traditionally excluded from certain economic activities, they will have harder time to find employment. Through culinary and digital marketing training, the project empowers people living with HIV and key populations to identify and act upon business opportunities during the pandemic.