YOGYAKARTA — Oyster mushroom cultivation was once a promising venture for Mr. Jabir. He managed to produce mushrooms daily without the need for extensive space, working alongside dozens of his students for collective prosperity at a small Islamic boarding school in Yogyakarta.
For nearly four years, Mr. Jabir dedicated himself to this endeavor, only to be halted by the Covid-19 pandemic. By 2021, he was beginning to expand the business with support from Dompet Dhuafa Yogyakarta, even achieving a daily production of up to 100 kilograms of oyster mushrooms.
However, the mushroom cultivation came to an abrupt stop when the land he utilized was reclaimed by its owner. Mr. Jabir understood this setback, recognizing that everyone was struggling due to the pandemic.
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Nonetheless, Mr. Jabir was resolute in continuing his entrepreneurial pursuits, driven by a responsibility towards his students who were keen on continuing their education.
“I want the kids to have an entrepreneurial spirit,” he expressed on Friday (10/10/2023).
After extensive discussions with Dompet Dhuafa Yogyakarta, a decision was made to shift the business model to a vegetable stall named ‘Warung Serbuu’.
“The backbone of Yogyakarta’s economy is its eateries. But with all of them closed, there was no demand for mushrooms. The pandemic was the time to buy cheap vegetables. Mushroom prices had plummeted, yet there were no buyers since their usual clients were restaurants,” he reminisced about the challenging pandemic period.
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Previously, Mr. Jabir had reliable buyers, including market wholesalers and direct orders from restaurants. His largest client was Spesial Sambal, which typically ordered between 40-60 kilograms per day.
“Alhamdulillah, we are now on the path to recovery with the help of Dompet Dhuafa. Our initial idea was simple; a vegetable shop catering to households would always have customers. During the pandemic, even those who usually dined out were cooking at home,” he elaborated.
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The remnants of the mushroom business were transformed into 7 vegetable stalls, allowing Mr. Jabir to empower others, including his students. This initiative continues to be supported and overseen by Dompet Dhuafa Yogyakarta. (Dompet Dhuafa/Muthohar)