Adding Purpose to Your Business by Empowering Your Community
What makes a business unique? This question could be answered by looking at its products and branding strategy. However, did you know that each business also has its own mission, vision, and values? These elements can often inspire us to keep supporting a specific brand.
Mega Puspita is the co-founder of Studio Dapur, which she established in October 2019 with two fellow entrepreneurs. During her time at university, she found potential in producing artisan products made out of bamboo as the material was durable and sustainable. So, Mega, who lives in a bamboo artisan village in Temanggung, Central Java, decided to start producing artisan goods, including bamboo baskets, trays, decorative storage, and kitchenware.
Empowering women is part of the business
Rather than starting a business that mainly aims to make a profit, Mega and Studio Dapur’s two other founders have bigger plans. Through their experience living in a bamboo artisan village, the founders wanted to do more for the women in the community.
A third of Studio Dapur’s workers are women of various groups and backgrounds. Some of the younger employees are high school graduates interested in learning about bamboo crafts. Studio Dapur also employs elderly people who are still keen on staying productive. Mega says:
“Based on my observations, women pay great attention to detail and are very precise in their work. I think this is perfect for our business because the more detailed, the better. But we do hire men to help several aspects of our production, and it’s actually a great balance!”
As part of the community and to champion women empowerment, Studio Dapur then created a workshop as an education center for villagers. In the workshop, villagers are taught how to weave bamboo, make different handicrafts, and the many ways to use bamboo to make a living. So far, the impact of Studio Dapur’s efforts has been extraordinary. Mega explains:
“Employing women is our way to add value to the business, and profitability is not always the main goal. We find purpose in helping and supporting women in Temanggung village to be breadwinners of their families. As production takes place in the village, they can still care for their children and home. Most importantly, they now have a role in their family’s finances.”
Giving your business another purpose
Studio Dapur once held a donation program titled Patungan Besek as part of Eid Al-Adha celebrations. The program invites the community to use besek, an eco-friendly bamboo box, to wrap Qurban meat. Studio Dapur collaborated with artisans from Singaparna, West Java, and Yogyakarta to produce the bamboo boxes. As a result, they successfully made 26,000 bamboo besek and distributed them to community members in several regions across Java, including Bandung, Singaparna, and Yogyakarta.
From the story and journey of Studio Dapur, we learn that local business players can also contribute to solving the many social or environmental issues in our surroundings. Your business does not necessarily have to solve them right off the bat, but you can at least find ways to handle them one step at a time. With Studio Dapur’s simple bamboo besek, the community was able to help reduce the use of plastic and promote other eco-friendly alternatives for storage.
While profitability is the primary purpose of starting a business, there’s no harm in finding ways we can better our community. All in all, your business and product don’t have to be complicated. You can add value and purpose by just looking at your surroundings and community. Even the smallest details can make a big difference and have a huge impact. Let our creativity, spirit, and effort find new ways to improve our beloved country, Indonesia!
