Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Cooperatives Ministry has called on the Family Empowerment and Welfare Movement Team (TP PKK) to help strengthen the grassroots cooperative movement and develop the Red and White Village Cooperatives.
During the 10th National Working Meeting of TP PKK in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, on Tuesday, Minister of Cooperatives Budi Arie Setiadi emphasized the enormous potential of women in cooperative management.
The ministry's data indicates that 49 percent of cooperative members in Indonesia are women, with 38 percent of cooperative employees also women, as per an official statement released here on Wednesday.
Although only 22 percent of women hold managerial positions, active women's cooperatives are showing positive performance: assets reaching Rp3.4 trillion, business volume amounting to Rp2.8 trillion, and operating profit of Rp173.1 billion.
"This proves that cooperatives, especially women's cooperatives, have the potential to empower families economically and contribute to community social resilience," Setiadi stated.
He remarked that women's involvement, coordinated through the TP PKK, will optimize strategic government programs, such as the Red and White Village Cooperatives.
He assessed that the Family Empowerment and Welfare (PKK) cadres have the capacity, experience, and strong social networks to empower the economy through cooperatives.
The synergy between PKK cadres and the Red and White Village Cooperatives can be realized through various roles, starting from being members, administrators, to cooperative managers.
He also highlighted the potential for collaboration between the PKK and the Red and White Cooperatives in the efforts to increase family income, as one of the main agendas of the TP PKK.
Furthermore, the Family Income Improvement Business (UP2K) Program can be synergized with the seven main outlets of the Red and White Village Cooperatives to improve family welfare.
The seven main outlets include the cooperative office, basic food procurement stall, savings and loan business unit, village/sub-district health clinic, village/sub-district pharmacies, warehousing or cold storage system, and village/sub-district logistics facility.
Through these business units, the cooperatives minister expressed hope that women and the TP PKK would become more actively involved in empowering the local economy.
General Chairperson of the Central TP PKK Tri Tito Karnavian stated that the PKK team not only plays a role in supporting families but also in establishing and managing cooperatives.
"The synergy between the PKK and village cooperatives can serve as a model for empowering women and a local economy based on mutual cooperation," Tri remarked.
