“Digital Heroes” Program Features 2 Young Innovators Helping MSMEs

Digital Heroes for MSMEs Talk Show on “Digital Solutions for MSMEs” featuring two innovators is held online on Saturday (29/8). (Photo by: Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises PR)

As a token of appreciation to those dubbed as ‘Digital Heroes’ for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and as a medium to create young innovators, Presidential Staffer Putri Tanjung in collaboration with Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Cabinet Secretariat held a workshop and talk show called “Pahlawan Digital UMKM (MSMEs’ Digital Heroes)”.

The third series of the talk show which adopts a theme “Digital Solutions for MSMEs” featured two young innovators, Melvin Sumapung, the CEO of Justika and Stefanie Suanita, the CEO of Catapa.

For the record, Justika is a legal service company which provides free legal consultation for micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs.

Melvin mentioned that as of 8 July 2020, through website Justika.com the company received 320 online consultations from MSMEs from several cities in Indonesia. In term of business purposes, it provides consultations on contract, regulation, and capital. While in term of employment, the consultations are about severance pay, lay off, wage for contract workers, and regulations.

“We have also provided free consultation for MSMEs. Most of them asked about debt which disrupted their cash flow, while others asked about business and employment,” he said.

Justika also provides affordable phone consultation for 30 minutes, thus the entrepreneurs can have extensive consultation. “We are doing this to raise legal awareness among micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs,” he added.

In the meantime, Catapa through a program titled #CATAPAFREEforUMKM provides free human resources management solutions for MSMEs. Since micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs are often facing challenges in business management such as human resources and payroll management, Catapa offers solutions to that problem.

“During the pandemic, Catapa launched a proximity feature to detect safe distance of the employees,” Stefanie Suanita said.

Justika and Catapa are considered not only helping the MSMEs to survive but also improve the quality so they can compete with big industries.

‘Digital Heroes’ program also aims to introduce and support many other technology startup companies and social movement that support the digitalization of MSMEs. The program has a target to choose 10 best innovators to become partners of Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in digitalizing cooperatives and MSMEs.

In addition, the program also provides trainings to young innovators to improve their quality, and appreciates innovators who have been helping the MSMEs.

Every week, the Ministry holds a talk show with digital innovators who have been helping the MSMEs digitalization in order to inspire the public.

The public can access the update of the program on Instagram @pahlawandigitalumkm, @kemenkopukm, and @putri_tanjung. (Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises PR/SKP Putri Tanjung/EN)

Translated by : Rany Anjany
Reviewed by:  Mia Medyana