Jakarta, 15 February 2022 – In its effort to support local businesses to continuously grow, especially by optimizing digital technology, Rumah BUMN (state-owned enterprises house) under the management of PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom) held Creative UMKM Talks, a series of talkshow/sharing sessions among micro, small and medium enterprises (UMKM) that Telkom fosters. There were 114 MSME activists, Senior General Manager of Telkom Community Development Center Hery Susanto and Mariani Montu, owners of one of Telkom's MSMEs, Zabay Collection Manado were among the attendants at the online event. 

Creative UMKM Talks in Survival Series volume 9 was themed "Who is Afraid of the Pandemic?" and is a reflection of the MSMEs' resilience to survive during the pandemic. This theme aims to provide views and to serve as a forum to provide guidance and input to all MSMEs to deal with the pandemic. 

SGM Telkom Community Development Center Hery Susanto said in his remarks that this activity was a form of Telkom's support in developing MSMEs, which covers framework of access to capital, access to funding, access to competence, and access to commerce. "We expect that from through the years, there will be more good ideas coming from MSMEs so that they can improve and be even better while at the same time play a role in improving the national digital economy," Hery said.

During the sharing session, Zabay Collection Manado told the audience that as an MSME, it was also affected by the pandemic, but they managed to survive by continuing to develop creativity and innovation until they were recognized with several awards; from the Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, the Minister of Women's Empowerment, and the Minister of Tourism. As a craft MSME that produces batik and accessories from coconut shells, Zabay Collection developed an innovative product, the lipstick mask, as an opportunity to get some market interest during the pandemic.

Owner of Zabay Collection, Mariani Montu said, there are ways to stay afloat or stand out in the market between other business actors, such as by coming up with a breakthrough so that the wider community would be aware and familiar with their own unique product. “The important thing to start an MSME is to start from a few small things that don't require a lot of capital and don't need much thought. We also have to be smart to read the surrounding situation, what is needed by the community and what is available. Then develop from what already exists and continue to innovate in order to survive , especially during the pandemic," Mariani said in a bid to motivate the attending MSME actors. 

The Creative UMKM Talks was able to attract attention with the number of participants continuing to grow until the end of the event. Telkom expects to ramp up the Creative UMKM Talks to continue encouraging the fostered MSME, to assist, motivate, and inspire them to utilizing business digitization (go digital-go online-go global) and to remain creative and enthusiastic in running a business.

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