VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Indonesian President Joko Widodo appreciates the Association of Young Indonesian Businesspeople (HIPMI) of East Java on its Pesantrenpreneur or Islamic boarding school-based economy in Pasuruan, East Java. On the inauguration of Pesantrenpreneur at Bayt al-Hikmah boarding school (Pesantren), Pasuruan, on Saturday (12/5), President Joko Widodo said that this initiative could encourage economic improvement through young entrepreneurs. In its implementation, Pesantrenpreneur formed as retail shop,  and sell products which produced by santri or students namely Ummart. It also sells product from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). The President encourages that this initiative can be disseminated throughout pesantren in Indonesia.

“I would like to express my higher appreciation to HIPMI, especially East Java chapter which has penetrated the boarding school with Ummart, with pesantrenpreneur.  The program is launched in order to improve the economy from our young entrepreneurs. We should continue to push and motivate the idea, there are not only 10 Ummart, I hoped there are available Ummart in at least 30 thousand pesantren. I have seen Ummart, N-Ummart, in some pesantren, that we must continue to develop,” President Joko Widodo said.

Meanwhile, chairman of East Java HIPMI, Mufti Anam explained that the initiative of pesantrenpreneur has spread in 10 pesantren in East Java. With the potential of 30 thousand pesantren in Indonesia and 5 million students and tens of thousands of alumni, Mufti Anam believes that pesantren is a strong entity for the education pillars of people, and has  potentially mobilizing the people's economy. He said that the pesantren-based program has the goal to generate the youth economy up to the remote areas or villages. Mufti Anam targets the creation of 1,000 Ummart Shops throughout East Java.  (VOI/Ndy/Trs.Rezha/NT)