BOGOR, WEST JAVA — ‘Alhamdulillah, from joining (the Dompet Dhuafa programme), I can pay for my children to go to college. Help the family economy. Rumah UMKM is very helpful for small businesses,’ said Hapsoh (43).
That day, Thursday (16/05/2024), Hapsoh was very enthusiastic about attending the Womenpreneur Seminar by Buttonscarves CEO, Linda Anggrea, at the Zona Madina Hall, Parung, Bogor. The warrior woman owns a packaged stick snacks business. She has experienced ups and downs since she started her home snack production business in 2018.
Being a single parent is a strong motivation for her to run any business from home. In 2018, at the Parung District Office, Allah brought her together with the Dompet Dhuafa Madina Zone team. There was interest from both of them. At that time, Zona Madina was intensifying the empowerment of MSME products for tough mothers around Parung. While Hapsoh needed coaching and wider market access.
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At first, his product was banana chips. Then, it turned out that there were already many similar products. He then switched to making onion crisps. It turned out that one of her friends also produced similar chips. With guidance from Zona Madina, she made it different, namely onion sticks.
‘I was really pessimistic at the beginning of 2018, so I chose onion sticks. At the beginning, there were many product returns. Finally, I was given a solution to send 100 first and half and half. At that time, I didn’t send many. Only to Titoti meatball stalls. Then to ordinary restaurants. Then finally evaluated, why are there so many returns? Finally, the system was changed like it was originally rich. Finally, it is more systemised per week. Now there are no returns,’ he said.
Now, apart from restaurants in Bogor City and its surroundings, the product called Stik Rengat has also entered tourist areas.
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His enthusiasm, as well as his intention to encourage the members of the Madina Zone MSME House to continue to grow, made him the head of the packaging house. Currently, there are 60 members of the Madina Zone MSME House. Rumah UMKM does not limit the number of product deposits to be distributed to several stores.
From the existing records, rengat sticks are still the best sellers. The increase continues to escalate with facilities from Zona Madina such as training, assistance in obtaining licences, and other administrative matters. A new thing that is quite unfamiliar to people at his age is digital marketing training. Even so, he is still enthusiastic about learning it.
‘Alhamdulillah, now I can produce one bale or 25 kilograms a week,’ she explained.
To achieve this production rate, Hapsoh sometimes recruits helpers from her neighbours. She is very happy that the MSME House in Zona Madina exists. Not only is she empowered, but she can also empower others. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and Photo: Riza Muthohar
Editor: Dhika Prabowo