“Ella’s Mission Of Kindness Helping the Economy of village Mothers
Deep concern for the plight of the mothers in her village was the genesis of the Nira Lestari Women’s Group (KWT). Ella saw that these mothers were forced to work outside the city or abroad to support their families financially.
Recognizing this reality, Ella and her friends took the initiative to establish the Nira Lestari Women’s Group (KWT) in 2015. The goal was to provide mothers with the opportunity to stay close to their families and children while remaining productive at home, contributing to the economy.
Thus, the Nira Lestari Women’s Group aims to empower mothers in their community economically without sacrificing time with their families. A truly noble goal, Entrepreneurial Friends.
Successful Expansion Due to Smart Exploration of the Potential Around You
One of the reasons why the Nira Lestari Women’s Farmers Group’s primary product is various coconut derivatives is because their region, Magelang Regency, has enormous potential for coconut processing. With approximately 5,000 hectares of coconut plantations, Magelang Regency is a rich coconut producer, providing ample raw materials for the various coconut derivative products produced by the Nira Lestari Women’s Farmers Group.
Entrepreneurs can learn a valuable lesson from this: the importance of being sensitive to the potential of their surroundings and having the courage to develop it. This not only creates business opportunities that positively impact local communities like the Nira Lestari Women’s Farmers Group, but also boosts the local economy.
Don’t be lazy to learn to develop
Although the Nira Lestari Women’s Group (KWT) had been established, success didn’t come immediately. They faced challenges in selling their initial products, with the number of buyers gradually dwindling, eventually leading to zero purchases. This brought the KWT Nira Lestari’s economic activities to a standstill
This failure motivated Ella, then in her eighth semester of college, to learn more about product marketing, including proper branding, digital marketing, and other promotional strategies. She also diligently attended webinars and workshops on the business world. By implementing all the knowledge she had gained, KWT Nira Lestari successfully sold one ton of their products in just one month. With increased sales, the local economy began to recover.
Not resting on her previous achievements, Ella also felt it was important to continue learning from those with more experience. Taking advantage of the opportunity to meet a professor specializing in coconut at her university, KWT Nira Lestari received guidance on developing better coconut-derived products. Not only was the palm sugar successful, but the women of KWT Nira Lestari also succeeded in producing VCO (Virgin Coconut Oil), an oil obtained from coconut flesh.
Furthermore, while studying abroad in 2019, Ella also studied agriculture, specifically the production of plant-based honey, or honey produced not by bees. This experience motivated her to further develop KWT Nira Lestari’s coconut-derived products, namely honey from coconut blossoms. As a result, KWT Nira Lestari now produces a variety of coconut-derived products, including sugar, VCO, and vegan nectar plant-based honey.
Utilize Opportunities Wisely
With the progress achieved by KWT Nira Lestari, Ella’s reputation has been further enhanced by her speaking engagements at several events. This has given Ella the opportunity to meet exporters interested in KWT Nira Lestari’s superior products.
Ella and the members of KWT Nira Lestari realized this was a significant opportunity not to be missed. Strategically, they decided to legalize their business and transform their group into a well-structured corporation
In 2022, KWT Nira Lestari officially transformed into PT Nira Lestari International. This move not only provides legal legitimacy for their business, but also opens up new opportunities to expand their business into the international market.
Efficient Production Process
The change in business status from the Nira Lestari Women’s Farmers Group (KWT) to PT. Nira Lestari International has significantly improved their business structure. For example, the palm sugar production process involves structured and well-coordinated steps.
The palm sugar production process begins with the farmers harvesting the sap in the morning and evening. After harvesting, the sap is transported to the homes of the women’s farmer group members for further processing. These members carry out a series of processes, from boiling the sap and sifting it, to producing palm sugar. The palm sugar is then transported to the KWT’s Processing Unit (UPH) for weighing and sale from the farmers to the KWT UPH.
At the KWT UPH, further processes such as oven-drying, sifting, and sorting are carried out. The palm sugar is then packaged at the production house for packaging and distribution. Entrepreneurs can see that this entire process creates efficiency in production and produces a high-quality product ready to compete in the international market.
Fulfilling Social Values by Empowering Citizens
In 2017, the Nira Lestari Women’s Group (KWT) also established a cooperative called the Nira Lestari Makmur Cooperative. The establishment of this cooperative is part of Ella and KWT Nira Lestari’s commitment to empowering women in their community. The cooperative aims to provide support and training to its members, particularly in processing quality products.
In addition to activities such as seminars aimed at improving skills and knowledge in processing agricultural products, the cooperative also implements a profit-sharing system for its members. This is a very useful principle for Entrepreneurs to implement when starting a business. It focuses not only on growing the business but also on empowering those around us.
Finally, Ella offered an inspiring message: there’s no shame in getting involved in agriculture, especially for young people and women. She emphasized that with determination and education, agricultural businesses are promising and profitable, even having the potential to compete in the international market.
Furthermore, Ella highlighted our efforts to empower those around us, open economic opportunities, and improve the well-being of local communities. Businesses in the agricultural sector not only offer the potential for financial success but can also contribute to community development. After reading the story of Ella and KWT Nira Lestari, are you, Entrepreneur Friends, interested in starting a business in agriculture?
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