Jakarta. Cosmetics giant Mustika Ratu, or MRAT, announced on Wednesday its support for women-owned small businesses in Trenggalek District, East Java, as the company inked a memorandum of understanding on womanpreneurship with the local government.

MRAT signed the MoU with Trenggalek District Government and women foundation Yayasan Perempuan Hebat Inspirasi Nusantara (Uprintis). The partnership encompasses nurturing women’s resources, skills, and knowledge as the economic heroines in Trenggalek.

Signing the agreement were MRAT president director Bingar Egidius Situmorang, Trenggalek District Chief Mochamad Nur Arifin, and Uprintis chairwoman Novita Hardini at Trenggalek Pendopo on Tuesday. Also present at the event was East Java Puteri Indonesia 2022 Adinda Cresheilla.

Indonesia is home to 64 million micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). They also account for 99.9 percent of the businesses in Indonesia, with a 2016 World Bank reporting that woman ownership represents at least 50 percent of the small businesses.

On today’s Heroes Day, MRAT highlights the pivotal role of the women-owned MSMEs as economic heroines.

“The partnership between Mustika Ratu and the Trenggalek government is not only to nurture a new potential market for Mustika Ratu, but also foster the economy and prosperity in Trenggalek by empowering the local MSMEs,” Egidius said.

MSMEs play a vital role in building Indonesia’s economy, according to Egidius.

The MRAT of today started off as a small business run by Mooryati Soedibyo from her own garage at home, with only the help of two employees.

“We are determined to collaborate with even more MSMEs through the local governments. Of course it is impossible to do this one by one, but the MSMEs in Trenggalek are well-coordinated,” Egidius said.

MRAT also announced it would launch a pilot project of its traditional herbal drink kiosk —the Jejamu by Mustika Ratu— in Bukit Jaas Permai shopping center, Trenggalek. The booth will have its barista selected from Uprintis’ Next Womanpreneur program.

“We will have a Cantik Sehat [‘Beautiful and Healthy’] festival, where participants can take beauty classes for free, and [get to know more about] Jejamu resellers, SPA franchises, M-Club membership as the reseller of Mustika Ratu products,” Astrid Warganegara, MRAT’s business development head, said.

Mochamad Nur Arifin praised MRAT for launching the Jejamu pilot project in Trenggalek, as well as the latter’s other economic empowerment programs, particularly those aimed for women.

“We hope Mustika Ratu’s presence in Trenggalek can help boost the economy via the women-owned MSMEs,” he said, while adding that the women do not only help their family’s economy, but also the regional and national economy.

The partnership with MRAT will involve MSMEs currently mentored by Uprintis.

According to Novita, the program will help foster new jobs for the women of Trenggalek.

“In this collaboration with Mustika Ratu, we hope the people of Trenggalek, particularly the women-owned MSMEs, cam take this opportunity for the economic success of their families, region, and nationwide,” she said.