Hotniyati Malau is busy clicking her mobile phone, reviewing and selecting various local products and brands to resell them on her online shop. As a reseller, she can work from home, while looking after her children at the same time.

She is one of the 48 trade union members from five trade union confederations joining the ILO’s digital entrepreneurship training. Held in Sukabumi last September 2023, the training was conducted by the ILO’s Promoting Small and Medium Enterprises through Entrepreneurs’ Access to Financial Services programme (Promise II Impact) in collaboration with Evermos, a social commerce reseller platform providing a distribution network and commerce services.

When she got laid off, Hotniyati was devastated. She not only lost her income, but she also lost the ability to support her family. However, when she learnt from her trade union—the National Workers’ Confederation (KSPN)—about the digital training entrepreneurship, without hesitant she took the opportunity.

“Apart from giving new digital skills and increasing knowledge, this training is very useful and has provided me an alternative job as a reseller. After being laid off, this job really helps me. I can work from home, be close to my family and earn an income,” shared Hotniyati.

Djauhari Sitorus, ILO Programme Manager of Promise II Impact, stated that the training programme was conducted as a response to the high number of layoffs due to the pandemic. The Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) reported that 1.6 million workers were laid off in 2022.

“Through this digital entrepreneurship training, we aim to help ensuring the welfare of trade union members. By having digital skills and making the best use of the digital technology, we believe that trade unions can create a greater, new employment opportunities that will improve the welfare of workers and their families,” he said.

During the training programme, the participants learnt how to run a business without capital using Evermos platform, to utilize digital applications such as WhatsApp Business application and to digitally promote their products. The participants were also guided to determine their market targets and their daily, weekly, monthly and yearly income targets. In addition, the participants were given an opportunity to directly interact with successful resellers with incomes of hundreds of million rupiah per month.

“Currently, we have more than 700,000 resellers nationwide. Through the joint collaboration with the ILO, we hope we can provide an inclusive employment opportunity that is accessible for anyone regardless of gender, educational background, geographic location or income level. We hope also that the joint programme continues to bring positive impact to the welfare of workers,” said Andika, Evermos’ Head of ESG and Sustainability.

At the end of the training, most of the participants were motivated to start their new profession as a reseller. M. Rizky Apriliana from the Confederation of Indonesian Moslem Trade Union (K-Saburmusi) appreciated the new insights about maximizing online marketing and social medias; while Saman Yusuf from Trade Union Federation of Forestry, General Industry, Timber, Agriculture and Plantation (F-HUKATAN) said that “I am now motivated in doing business.”

The participating trade unions confederation included the Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Union (KSPSI)-Reconciliation, KSPSI-CAITU, the Confederation of All Indonesia Trade Union (K-SBSI), the Confederation of Indonesian Muslim Trade Unions (K-Saburmusi) and the National Trade Union Confederation (KSPN)

Promise II Impact is jointly initiated by the ILO, the Secretariat of the National Council for Inclusive Finance (DNKI) and the Financial Services Authority (OJK) with financial support from the Swiss State Secretariat for the Economy (SECO). The programme aims to support an inclusive financial sector for MSMEs, encourage economic growth and increase employment opportunities, especially in the post-pandemic period with a strategy of increasing the use of digital technology.