Futuremakers Indonesia: unleashing the potential of young entrepreneurs

Young people with disabilities in Jakarta are developing their businesses thanks to CBM’s Futuremakers project, in partnership with the Mien R Uno Foundation (MRUF) and funded by Standard Chartered Foundation.  

Young people with disabilities in Indonesia often find it very difficult to earn a living. They face many barriers to accessing education, training and financial services, as well as negative stereotypes from the people around them, including their peers, potential customers, suppliers and employees. The COVID-19 pandemic made the situation even worse, with many small businesses collapsing under the pressures of economic turbulence and social restrictions.  

With our partner Mien R Uno Foundation (MRUF), the Futuremakers project is working in Jakarta to help young people whose livelihoods were disrupted by COVID-19 to rebuild their businesses. The project delivers entrepreneurship training to groups of young people with and without disabilities together, to break down barriers and change attitudes amongst participants and the communities around them. It supports young people with running and developing their small businesses, and connects them into existing business networks. 

Hendry 

Hendry, 34, is part of the first group of Futuremakers Indonesia participants. Several years ago, Hendry suffered from a rare disease that led to progressive vision loss. He became blind in just eight weeks, and had to give up his career in banking where he had worked for twelve years after graduating from university.  

Hendry found support from his family, and from his local church. The church was able to give him training in using a walking cane, a mobile phone and computer, as well as offering cooking skills training tailored to the blind.    

Putting these new cooking skills into action, Hendry decided to set up a small bakery as a way of earning money. Supported by his family, he began to sell to a close circle of friends as well as the local community.  

When he heard about the Futuremakers programme, he saw an opportunity to learn more about running his own business. The training sessions helped Hendry to think through how to expand his range of baked goods, and to work on a marketing strategy to help his business to grow.  

Hendry says,  

“I cherished the moments since the first day I went to the training venue because I knew I would meet other participants there, regardless of their condition and make friends with them and hoping to build relations; It’s also a good opportunity for me to have a learning activity outside home because since I lost sight, I felt the great barrier limiting my activity outside home.”    

This project is funded by the Standard Chartered Foundation and delivered by CBM UK. It is part of Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, a global initiative by Standard Chartered to tackle inequality by promoting economic inclusion for disadvantaged young people, including those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Find out more about Futuremakers Indonesia here