COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CED) PROJECT (Program Pemberdayaan Ekonomi bagi Mantan Buruh Migran Perempuan)

Transcription

1 COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CED) PROJECT (Program Pemberdayaan Ekonomi bagi Mantan Buruh Migran Perempuan)

2 INTRODUCTION Migran work industry contributes to benefits for sending country. Since 2004, the Indonesian s government has tried to develop the potential of Indonesian migrant workers (Tenaga Kerja Indonesia) program to face the 9.7% unemployment rate and poverty. This sector contributes around half a million occupations per year (Saraswati, 2008). National Body for Migrant Workers Placement and Protection (BNP2TKI) mentioned that there were 512,168 of Indonesian work overseas, which consists of 285,197 of formal workers (56%) and 226,871 of informal workers (44%). If this number is added by those who work illegally, the number of migrant workers will be twice even four times bigger (BNP2TKI, 2013). Data from the Ministry of Manpower and Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia (Kementerian Tenaga Kerja dan Transmigration) shows that in 2002, 94 percent of legal Indonesian female migrant workers served as domestic workers in the Middle East, East Asia and Southeast Asia. Malaysia as one of the main destination countries of work has 90 percent (240,000) of domestic workers that come from Indonesia. If this number is added to the number of people who migrated illegally, the final figure could easily be doubled. It is mainly Indonesian females hired for domestic work, and the services they provide are vital to those employing migrant workers (Indonesian Human Right Watch, 2005). On the other hand, remittances sent by Indonesian migrant workers are considered as one of the main sources of revenue for the country. In the period of January to July 2012, the amount of remittances sent by migrant workers was US$ 3.9 billion. At the end of 2012, the remittances were US$ 6.8 billion that equals to Rp triliun (BNP2TKI, 2013). Of the 512,168 Indonesian migrant workers stationed abroad in 2013, there were 235,179 men and 276,998 women, with the women primarily employed as domestic workers. BNP2TKI (National Body for Placement and Protection of Indonesian migrant workers) reported that in 2013, the amount of money sent by migrant workers to their families was huge, reaching US$ 7.4 billion or around Rp 88 trillion. Women must also pay service fees to send remittances, which result in financial gains to both the sending and receiving countries. However, the workers often faced the financial issue after coming back home. At this point, the difficulties continued or became more complicated if the women could not find work or have alternative income at home, their husbands worked for minimal salaries, and/or their families could not managed the remittances or money sent back home well. As a result, these situations lead to a a cycle of life of a migrant domestic worker, in which women might be forced to re-migrate and continue working as migrant domestic worker to ensure the financial stability of her family.

3 Therefore, there is a need to empower and support returned migrant domestic workers to overcome financial issue after returning back home. In dealing with such issue, former female migrant domestic workers living at Bondan village of Indramayu district suggested that the governmental and other institutions are expected to provide the women with knowledge, skills and capital (funds) to open a new business so that there will be an alternative income for the women and families. A program such as Community Economic Development (CED) might be a solution for the financial issues experienced by many workers. The CED program could not only provide funds or microcredits, but also help the women to develop knowledge about entrepreneurship, having and managing small business and home-based industry. Furthermore, the program has to develop leadership of the women and teamwork to support each other. It also should emphasize that the success of the program s participants and could be transferred or shared with others who examine similar issues of transnational domestic work business. COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (CEDP) The project entitled "Community Economic Development: Providing Trainings and Micro Credits Programs for Returned Female Migrant Domestic Workers" was conducted at Bondan Village, Indramayu district, West Java Province. The place is well-known as the main source of migrant of female migrant domestic workers in Indonesia. This project was proposed based on recommendations of a research conducted by Rosita Tandos (an Alumni of Australia Development Scholarships). She finished her master degree of Community Development at Curtin University of Technology, Perth - Western Australia. The research aimed to explore the life of female migrant domestic workers that is factors affecting transnational domestic work, problems they face, and dreams they have. During the data collection process, the women had an opportunity to raise their voices on the issue, express their needs, and proposed solutions to the identified problems. From the research findings shows that there are four main issues raised from the participants: 1) Issues impacted the women s life, especially in relation to financial problem such as debt of family; 2) The need for alternative income when coming back to the home country; 3) Lack of education and skills; 4) A hope to live with family not

4 being forced to migrate and work abroad; and 5) To have a better future life, especially for their children. Then, the women mentioned about the need for increasing knowledge and skills and having their own business to help address severe economic condition and other problems. Therefore, the CED Project itself might be considered as an action part of Rosita s research. Currently, the CED Project has been held as two-year project (September February 2018) under sponshorship of Alumni Grant Scheme (AGS), and will be continued as the project's fund managed by the CED Project s leader, supported by the local CED team at Bondan village and 'Paguyuban TKW Indramayu' (an informal Community-Based Organization established during the implementation of the CED Project). The organization s members are the participants of the CED Project and other community members. Until September 2017, the CED Project provided the training program for developing capacity building attended by for about 350 participants. The trainings included sessions for improving knowledge of entrepreneurship and skills to make variety of local products, such as traditional culinary (traditional food and snack), souvenirs (making 'Batik'), making milk products (yogurt, fresh milk, and soap), and the other skills (opening tailor business and beauty salon, making dolls, and making products from bamboo). For this period, the micro-credits programs have been distributed for 260 participants who stay in the village or decide to stop working overseas. The program provided loan or credits for the women and their groups to run their own business or have home-based industries. Recently, each round of the CED Project provide loan that is Rp for each borrower. The fund is provided for 50 women (starting from 6 th round of CEDP) The fund was distributed firstly for 40 women (in September 2015). Each woman received Rp and had to pay back the loan weekly. The two programs aimed to empower and support the returned migrant domestic workers to overcome any issues after returning back home. The participants living at Bondan village suggested that the governmental and other institutions are expected to provide the women with knowledge, skills and capital (funds) to open a new business. Therefore, a program such as community economic development was proposed as a solution for the financial issues that many workers experienced when they return to home country. The CED program could not only provide funds that could be borrowed, but also help the women to develop knowledge about entrepreneurship and small business management. Such program has to develop leadership of the women and teamwork to

5 support each other. The project also emphasizes that the success of the program s participants should be transferred, shared, and replicated to others who examine similar issue/s of being transnational domestic work living at Indramayu district and/or other places. The microcredits should be paid in 18 weeks, with additional saving for the CED Project. It was used to keep the program's continuity, anticipating unexpected condition, such as there was participant/s that could not pay the loan/s on time. In addition, the saving was used for hiring local staff who were responsible for collecting and managing microcredits payment, paying expenses of additional training programs, Center for Business and Training that has weekly programs, and developing more new - additional program such English for Community, Rumah Belajar for children, and Community Library, supported by Balqis Foundation (starting form the 2 nd period of the CED Project). In addition, Paguyuban TKW- Bondan Indramayu (an informal organization) and Youth Organization (Karang Taruna) have been involved in some activities of the project. OBJECTIVES The project of Community Economic Development (CED) had two main objectives. The first objective is to improve capabilities of former female migrant domestic workers by proving training programs so that the participants could enhance their knowledge, skills and experiences in running a small business and/or having a home-based industry. In addition, there is an opportunity for the participants (new and old ones) to learn and share the success one another. The second objective is to improve participants contribution for changing economic condition of their families living at Bondan village, Indramayu District. Each stage of the CED Project began with the training sessions that aim to develop capacity of the former female migrant domestic workers involved as the main project's users. The women could choose to work individually or in a team (consisting of 3-5 people) In this case, the amount of group loan was multiplied by the number of people in the group. Each person received Rp ,- (Satu Juta Rupiah). In other words, the project provides an opportunity for the women to establish or continue their business individually or involve in a group business to gain desirable outcome of the project. Before receiving the fund, each person or group should present what they want to run as individual or collective business. Furthermore, it is expected that the micro credits program could keep the sustainability of the CED Project and its positive impact so that many more female migrant workers could involve in the project. The third objective is to improve capabilities of youths (local team) involved in the CED Project of how to develop and organize community. They are xpected to focus on the

6 main objective of the project and handle any kinds of issues that can affect negatively to the project s progess for achieving the desirable outcomes. The fourth objective is to improve knowledge of children and skills throughout fun activities at Rumah Belajar (home for learning). The place provides books and teacher who teach, tell story and play with the children. This is applied more for the children who cannot go to Raudhatul Atfal or pre-school education. OUTCOMES The project has desirable outcomes (the short and med-term benefit that the outputs or activities deliver) that can be described as follows: To improve the participants' leadership, motivation, and knowledge of how to run a small-effective business and work as a team in addressing daily problems. To change the participants' perspective and behaviors so that they could see themselves as experts, partners, and agents of change in addressing the issues they face in daily life after working domestically in overseas. To improve individual and family's income through micro-credits used for running a small-business or home-based industry. To create more prosperity and welfare for youth, children and other community members. To propose some strategies for conducting community economic development of the project that might be implemented to other places by disseminating the achievement of the project throughout publications. The project also intended to provide recommendations for changes of policies and programs. OUTPUTS The outputs of the projects: Trainings for developing knowledge and skills of the former female migrant domestic workers on starting and developing a new business or home-based industry. The last round of training program (held in November 2016) was also supported by Balqis Foundation a NGO that Rosita Tandos also becomes the executive director. Distributing micro-credits for those who are willing to have their own business or home-based industry Additional programs (Center for Business and Training, Rumah Belajar for children, Community Library, and English for Community) has been developed from the project by partnership with Balqis Foundation and local youth organization (Karang Taruna) at Bondan village Establishing an informal community-based organization (CBO) called 'Paguyuban TKW Indramayu' as a important mean to learn, share, and support one another. They

7 could develop their leadership and capabilities by listening and channeling their voices through the organization. The members consist of the CED team, former female migrant workers, and other community members. STRENGTHS The CED Project has some points of strengths that support the desirable outcomes: Full and active participants Disciplines and Commitment for changes Caring and being responsible for collective success Being creative for developing business or home-based industry Supports from local government, organizations/institutions, and other community members Team work (CED team, participants and other stakeholders) Utilizing and emphasizing on local resources Developing programs and networking Monitoring and evaluating programs Sustainability of the project/ programs CONCLUSION The second-year project of Community Economic Development (CED) has been conducted in seven rounds (September 2015, January 2016, May 2016, August 2016, April 2017, and September 2017). It has been developed into three major programs (training for capacity building, distributing micro-credits, and Center for Business and Training). The participants or beneficiaries of the CED Project are former female migrant domestic workers participated in the two main programs. At the training program, the participants learned several skills to make business' products (traditional foods, candies, souvenirs (Batik clothes), dolls and skills to open beauty salon). During the training sessions, the participants also could enhance their knowledge on entrepreneurship, working in a group, and having commitment and belief for better future, and supporting one another. For those who joined the micro-credit programs they learned on the purpose of the program. They are expected to develop their business, use local resources, and share their successes to their groups. Additionally, the participants were reminded that the project has several programs, related, integrated, and supported each other. Therefore, the participants should keep in their mind the purposes of the CED project and what are expected from them as the main beneficiaries of the CED Project. Finally, the project will develop more and more addressing aspirations, needs and interests of the local people, especially former female migrant domestic workers.

8 THE ACTIVITIES RESULTING FROM THE COMPLETED PROGRAMS Trainings for developing capabilities in forms of knowledge, skills and experiences of having small-business and/or home-based industry. For the project leader and the local team, the trainings also become a mean to develop strategies of conducting community economic development project; and for the participants, the project become a mean to learn, share and support one another (among the participants), developing collective responsibility for better future of life. Micro-credit programs become another main activity developed under the CED Project. The program not only provide financial support for the women to establish or develop their personal or collective business, but also to support other expenses and programs using the fund of the program saving. Center for Business and Training has been established to provide more in-depth skill for making Batik, sewing (making fashion products), information for marketing products by online. Additional programs have been developed by building partnership with Balqis Foundation and a local Youth Organization (Karang Taruna) to provide informal education for children at Rumah Belajar, Community Library, and English program for community members. Activities conducted by an informal Community-Based Organization, called 'Paguyuban TKW' that its members from former migrant domestic workers that led and organized by the CED Project leader, local team, and the representatives of the women. They conducted regular meeting to share the successful experiences of the women joining the project, and express their thoughts to develop the CED Project. Partnership with community leaders who will support the CED Project's implementation at local level. Cooperation with media (newspapers and social media) to disseminate the results and the success of the CED Project. The CED Project was published at two local newspapers (Pikiran Rakyat and Radar Cirebon). Next, the CED Project will be published at a national newspaper as well. Publication in form of a Book of the CED Project is still in process aiming to disseminate the CED project results and achievements that might be applied in similar situation and condition or in the same population. The book begins with a discussion of transnational domestic work at global, regional, and local settings. It aims to contribute some recommendations used for policy change, programs and services' improvement available for female migrant domestic workers. In addition, the book might enhance the discussion of community economic empowerment that emphasized on local resources (human, nature and other resources) and human rights issue/s, particularly on the issue/s of gender equality and justice.

9 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE WORK The need for increasing budget for providing training program so that the women could learn more skills to making marketable and various business products. The need for increasing the fund so that the micro-credit programs could cover many more participants and distribute more funds to the borrowers. To support ' The Center of Business Industry' that will develop knowledge and skills of participants, market the products - made by the participants of the CED Project and involved men to support the women in making products. For instance, making Batik clothes needs extra energy starting from the first process of drawing batik motif to finish the whole process. Therefore, the women could invite their husbands or other family members in making such home-based industry. The batik clothes could be made souvenir or a lot of products (e.g. blouse, handicrafts, bag or caps). For future, the CBT will develop Bamboo industry at Bondan village to improve the men s role in the CED Project. To develop programs that will support all aspects of the women s life. For instance, a program such as psychological assistance available for those who arrived home with trauma, abuses or right s violence after working in overseas. To diversify business products, enlarge market, and develop strategies by inviting many more business practitioners. The need for developing programs to support children of female migrant domestic workers. To enhance partnership with strategic groups such as local governments, private sectors and other funding to support the development of the project. The needs for policy changes, programs and services improvement to help and assist former female migrant domestic workers and their families, emphasizing the aspirations of the women as the main actors of transnational domestic work business.

10 PROGRAM PEMBERDAYAAN EKONOMI PEREMPUAN PENDAHULUAN

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12 COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (CED) PROJECT

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14 OBJECTIVES

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16 OUTCOMES o o o o OUTPUTS

17 STRENGTHS

18 KESIMPULAN

19 KEGIATAN-KEGIATAN o o o o o o

20 o o o REKOMENDASI

21 Celebrating for One-Year CED Project and the Establishment of Paguyuban TKW, Indramayu

22 A visitation from the representatives of Australia Awards Indonesia (AAI), DFAT, and Secretary of the State

23 Training for Entrepreneurship Training for making Kerupuk a traditional snack Training for making Bakso Meatballs

24 Training for making Bolu Gula Merah cake Training for making Tempe and Oncom Traditional food Training skills for opening a beauty salon

25 Training for Jahit Menjahit (sewing) Training for making cemilan Training for aking Batik or A Traditional clothes with a specific motif Training for making plastic flowers

26 The last session of Training and Distributing Micro-credits (simpan-pinjam) Training for making Dolls Awards for those who honorable and inspiring participants

27 B. PUBLICATION Local newspapers Promoting and Disseminating the Success of the CED Project * The leader of the CED Project (Rosita Tandos) invited as a speaker in A Program of Local Government of Bekasi District to Promote Program for Economic Empowering for Women, held in February 13, 2017.

28 Online Media Indramayutrust.com Sejumlah Purna TKW mengikuti kegiatan CEDP (Community Econimic Development Project) putaran keempat, dalam pemberian microcredits kepada purna TKW dan Capacity Building berupa training untuk meningkatkan keterampilan bagi para purna TKW. Program Comunity Economy Development Project (CEDP) tersebut diadakan di Desa Bondan Kecamatan Sukagumiwang Kabupaten Indramayu, sebagai pelatihan membuka usaha salon kecantikan dan membuat bunga dari plastik. Selain itu, dalam kegiatan tersebut juga diisi dengan Pemberdayaan Purna TKW melalui Tips dan Praktek Usaha Kecantikan lainnya. Salah satu Trainner CEDP, Arman, mengungkapkan jika kegiatan tersebut merupakan perwujudan dari komitmen CEDP dalam dua hal yakni Capacity building (peningkatan pengetahuan, keterampilan dan pengalaman) dan pemberian Microcredits (simpan pinjam) bagi para purna TKW. Saya sangat senang bisa berbagi pengalaman, keahlian dan kemampuan yang saya miliki kepada mereka untuk dapat mengembangkan usahanya di bidang salon kecantikan, ungkapnya, Senin (21/11) Sementara Direktur program CEDP, Rosita Tandos, menuturkan jika pogram CEDP ini adalah untuk meningkatkan leadership, motivasi dan pengetahuan para peserta dalam melaksanakan bisnis. Adapun modal yang diberikan harus digunakan untuk membuka atau mengembangkan bisnis. CED Project menekankan partisipasi full masyarakat dalam mendesain, melaksanakan, dan mengevaluasi keseluruhan program, tuturnya Acara training tersebut diakhiri dengan pembagian microcredits untuk periode november Pihaknya berharap agar CEDP tersebut dapat sukses dan menyasar ke seluruh kelompok dari purna TKW. Peserta diharapkan dapat meraih kesuksesan dalam usaha tidak hanya untuk diri sendiri, tapi juga kepada yang lain, ujar Rosita Tandos. (Didi)

29 C. Current Works Making Batik (home-based industry) The following pictures are examples of Batik that will be produced at the Center for Trainings and Business. The batik will be made as business products, such as clothes and bags. Representatives of the women will join training session at Batik s industry in Cirebon district, and will teach other participants at the Center of Trainings and Business.

30 ACTIVITIES AT CENTER FOR TRAINING AND BUSINESS Membatik dan Menjahit

31 D. BUSINESS OF THE WOMEN Selling vegetables and other daily needs A business of seeling Tape a traditional food Opening a shop selling daily needs Selling food chicken porridge

32 Selling Lontong Sayur a Traditional Food A husband helping prepare the business product Chicken living stock Quail (burung puyuh) eggs

33 E. TESTIMONIES (Suniri, the 1 st honored participants) I am a part of the CEDP s local team and can learn lots of points of organizing people to be discipled, work for collective movement, and change people s habit to be more beneficial and productive. This might be used for other opportunities to work with communities, especially with women groups.. Saya merupakan bagian dari tim lokal CEDP dan bisa belajar banyak dari poin-poin tentang mengorganisir orang agar menjadi lebih disiplin, bekerja untuk gerakan kolektif, dan mengubah kebiasaan masyarakat menjadi lebih bermanfaat dan produktif. Ini dapat digunakan untuk kesempatan lain untuk bekerja dengan masyarakat, terutama dengan kelompok perempuan.. (Yuni, the leader of the CEDP s local team) CED Project adalah suatu upaya yang sangat strategis bagi pengembangan ekonomi masyarakat, khususnya bagi mantan TKW. Melalui program training entrepreneurship dan pembagian kredit mikro, perempuan dapat menjadi mandiri dan terus membantu keluarga mereka. Hal yang sangat membanggakan bagi saya karena program ini mendapatkan dukungan tidak hanya dari ibu-ibu TKW sebagai pengguna utama, tetapi juga kaum muda yang terlibat sebagai tim lokal, serta seluruh pihak terkait yang telah membantu kesuksesan dan keberlanjutan CED Project.. "CED Project is an effort that is very strategic for community economic development, particularly for former female migrant worker. Through the programs of entrepreneurship training and the distribution of microcredit, the participants can become self-sufficient and continue to help financially to their families. It is very encouraging for me because these programs have the support not only of women migrant workers as primary users, but also youths involved as local teams, as well as all other stakeholders who have supported the success and sustainability of the CED Project.. " (Rosita Tandos, the head of the CED Project)