The expansion programme will enhance access to childcare and promote sustainable rural entrepreneurship in Indonesia’s Riau province
Three regencies in Indonesia’s Riau province will benefit from enhanced funding for rural development programmes, following an agreement signed today by humanitarian organisation Tzu Chi Indonesia, agribusiness Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), and nutrition company ADM. A new Community Learning Centre in Riau will provide education on integrated sustainable farming to encourage community entrepreneurship
Funded by a grant from ADM Cares, the social investment programme of ADM, the one-year agreement will implement two projects targeting communities within GAR and ADM’s supply chain. This partnership will expand GAR and Tzu Chi Indonesia’s existing childcare and sustainable agriculture education initiatives around GAR’s palm plantations in Riau.
Following the announcement, witnessed by participants from all three parties in Jakarta, Alexander Otten, Managing Director, Global Trade Asia at ADM said, “We’re proud to embark on this partnership which combines ADM and GAR’s shared supply chain and extensive network of farmers in Riau with Tzu Chi Indonesia’s grassroots expertise to enhance the resilience of rural communities in the country. Through ADM Cares and with the support of GAR and Tzu Chi Indonesia, we aim to empower our local communities by providing them with the necessary support, knowledge, and skills to drive economic change and improve the quality of life in Riau.”
Enhancing Access to Childcare in Rural Communities
Studies show that a lack of accessible childcare is a key constraint to women working outside the home. Increasing women’s participation in the workforce from around 53 to 58 per cent, in line with Indonesia’s G20 commitments, has the potential to add US$62 billion to the country’s economy and grow GDP by 0.7 per cent, according to the World Bank.
GAR operates more than 300 Child Care Centres or Balai Penitipan Anak (BPAs) across its Indonesian operations. Through this programme, 60 full-time caregivers at 35 BPAs in Riau will receive tailored training in childcare and early years education, alongside upgrades to facilities and classroom equipment.
Community Learning Centres
The second project stream will build on GAR’s network of Community Learning Centres (CLCs) in West Kalimantan and Riau to support rural communities in developing alternative income streams.
The partnership will establish one new CLC to educate more than 180 farming families in Riau on sustainable agriculture systems. The CLC will also support participants to monetise these skills by establishing Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and community-owned businesses.
