PT Kayan Hydropower Nusantara (KHN) has further demonstrated its commitment to sustainable community development through its KHN Lestari program, a part of the company’s Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility (CSER) initiative. To empower surrounding villages of the Mentarang Induk Hydroelectric Project (MIHEP), KHN launched the Business, Financial, and Administration Development Training Program for Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) recently at the MC Hotel, Malinau.

This collaborative program between KHN, the Department of Community and Village Empowerment (DPMD), and the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) is designed to enhance the capacity building of the BUMDes personnels in business operations, financial management, and administration. This program aligns with KHN’s Community Development Plan that guides social development around MIHEP.

BUMDes plays a key role in the village economies by managing various local enterprises and supporting the flow of local economic activity. Both the development of BUMDes capital and villages potential based on their unique characteristics, have become a priority sector under the Ministry of Finance Regulation No. 145/2023. Along with strengthening food security and tackling poverty, this emphasises the strategic role of BUMDes in driving sustainable village development.

The training was opened by the Head of the DPMD of Malinau District, Dr. M. Fiteriyady, S.STP. In his remarks, he expressed gratitude for the collaboration initiated by KHN and encouraged BUMDes to fully engage in the sessions, as the training was designed to meet their specific needs. He also encouraged BUMDes to be more meticulous in selecting unique products or services that can help build the local economy.

KHN's Stakeholder Management Manager, Hambar Endro Prabowo, stated, “We hope this training will benefit BUMDes personnels, enabling them to operate their businesses efficiently and maximise profits, thereby boosting the local economy. We remain committed to continuing our collaboration with the community, the government, and other stakeholders to support sustainable development in Malinau.”

The training was attended by 20 participants, including the Chairpersons and Treasurers of 10 BUMDes from villages surrounding the project area, including BUMDes Paking, Harapan Maju, Long Berang, Long Sulit, Long Simau, Semamu, Temalang, Long Pada, Rian Tubu, and Long Titi.

Sumiyati, the Treasurer of BUMDes Long Semamu who participated in the training, shared her thoughts on the benefits of the program. “This training has greatly helped us improve our skills in financial and administrative management. We now feel more confident in developing businesses in our village after gaining in-depth knowledge from this activity,” she revealed.

In addition to economic resilience, the training also fostered creativity and innovation in village enterprises development through its sessions, aligning with KHN’s long-term vision of creating a sustainable and resilient village economy.

The Business, Financial, and Administrative Development Training Program for BUMDes is one of the programs under KHN Lestari, which has been running since 2021. The KHN Lestari initiative is developed in collaboration with local communities and regional governments to provide long-term value to society, focusing on economic independence, human resource development, and environmental and cultural preservation.

KHN ensures that KHN Lestari initiatives prioritise community needs and are tailored to local conditions, based on findings from social impact assessments and periodically updated social mapping studies. In its implementation, KHN Lestari often collaborates with regional government agencies and relevant Civil Society Organisations.

Several training programs have been conducted to enhance community skills, including agriculture training, batik making, heavy equipment operation, food production, handicrafts, as well as ecobrick and waste bank management.

Apart from trainings, KHN organises other programs to improve community well-being, such as health check-ups, reforestation programs, grass cutters provisions, and books provisions for local schools. KHN also actively promotes government programs, including the Remote Learning Classes for Non-Formal Education Program for Package A, B, and C in Malinau.