IDF 2019 Best Video: Khoirun Nisa' Sri Mumpuni: Transforming Papua Youth to be Entrepreneurs through Kitong Bisa

Khoirun Nisa 'Sri Mumpuni with the participants of Kitong Bisa.

The winner of the IDF 2019 Video Competition, Khoirun Nisa 'Sri Mumpuni, built an entrepreneurial mindset and developed skills among Papuan youth, through Kitong Bisa Enterprise.

"If they have an entrepreneurial mindset, they can optimize their own skills and be independent. In Papua, there is a belief that you are only successful if you can be a public servant. Unfortunately we all know that public domain only provides a limited number of jobs and that the application process can be highly competitive," said Khoirun. 

Khoirun is one of the founders of Kitong Bisa Enterprise, a social entrepreneur that educates and empowers marginalized communities in Indonesia. Kitong Bisa focuses on women and youth, to have better future employment opportunities, particularly in the eastern part of Indonesia.

Kitong Bisa was founded due to Khoirun's concerns about unemployment if Papua.

"We see a gap. Students of vocational schools should have their skills developed, ready to be absorbed by the job market. However, this does not appear to be the case. What they learn in school turns out not to match with what the industry needs," said Khoirun.

Khoirun explained, in 2017, Kitong Bisa Enterprise pilot project began with the support from the Australian Government.

“We then believed what we would do was very potential and luckily it was very positively responded by the Papuan children. Finally, we took off in 2018,“ she added. 

Until now, Kitong Bisa Enterprise has held four bootcamps namely in Fakfak, Sorong, Jayapura, and Merauke to introduce the entrepreneurial mindset to 350 young Papuans. Kitong Bisa also takes the opportunity to invite young people in Aceh to participate in the bootcamp.

Some of the participants in the boot camp are still in vocational school, some have completed secondary school. There are also young entrepreneurs.  Periodically, Kitong visits the four cities in Papua and West Papua to hold various entrepreneurship training activities. Kitong Bisa also set up a learning center.  In 2019, Kitong Bisa launched a Business Hub in Sorong City.

Khoirun explained that Kitong Bisa Enterprise’s vision is to build an ecosystem that will allow young business people to participate actively in the economic sector. In building the ecosystem, Kitong Bisa involves local business people who have succeeded.

"The hope is that by displaying local business people or being close to them, it will be easier to set an example. We conducted a survey and asked, ‘Do you have any young entrepreneur in Papua?' Most of them answered no, but after we introduced them to these people, they realized that there are entrepreneurs in Papua," Khoirun explained.

These young business people also help as mentors of young people who are members of Kitong Bisa Enterprise. Kitong Bisa fosters these local talents using a three-stage approach.  First, it raises awareness through a three-day bootcamp program.

“Some potential participants will be invited to continue to learn about product development, which is delivered through mentors," she continued.

Then, they will learn how to market their products.  The process is carried out in collaboration with a number of agencies including the local university.

Production of Merchandise and Cosmetics

“From the first year we did not really make a profit, but this is a long-term process to empower Papuan children to be independent and develop their business. About five people now have their own business," continued Khoirun, explaining the latest developments in Kitong Bisa.

They started selling in May 2019. Youth in Kitong Bisa produce and sell merchandise in the form of bags, wallets, accessories, tumblers, t-shirts, and others. According to Khoirun, most of their products are customized according to the wishes of the buyers. Kitong Bisa collaborates with a lot with institutions, including Melbourne University.

"This became a project that was developed on campus, and finally we got a lot of assistance for them," added Khoirun who was doing her study at the university.

Khoirun added that by the end of 2019, Kitong Bisa Enterprise would launch cosmetics or skincare made from red dragon fruit, a typical fruit of the Land of Papua.

“We produced lotion, sunscreen, but the first to release will be soap," Khoirun said.

They also do another program called ‘From Trash to Cash’, which is the business of processing waste in Sorong, West Papua. In this effort, Kitong Bisa collaborates with a local garbage bank. In addition, one member of Kitong Bisa planned to launch a special comic in English in which local Papuan terms will also be included and introduced.

"Hopefully, this can motivate and encourage young people in Papua to read and learn more," he said. 

At IDF 2019, Khoirun spoke at the Imagine: Reforming the Vocational Education and Training (TVET) System for Future Jobs session about "Solving Unemployment in Papua and West Papua" on 23 July 2019.  The presentation was in line with Sub-Theme 2, Reforming the Vocational Education and Training (TVET) System for Future Jobs. The main theme of the 2019 IDF was “Mission Possible: Seizing the Opportunities of Future Work to Drive Inclusive Growth”.

Congratulations to Khoirun Nisa Sri Mumpuni as Winner of the IDF 2019 Video Competition!