“Whatever the circumstances, I must work hard for the sake of my children”

This sentence serves as a source of motivation and encouragement for Ambar. Ambar Yuliasiwi, commonly known as Ambar, is a single parent and an alumna of the batch III social entrepreneurship training for frozen food skills in 2020, organized by the Indonesian Inspiring Development Foundation (YIIM) together with PT. Pertamina Training Consulting (PTC). This program aligns with the first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), namely “No Poverty.” Stemming from this first SDG, YIIM together with PTC created a social entrepreneurship program aimed at empowering the economy of underprivileged and pre-prosperous communities to create entrepreneurs and self-reliant individuals.

Ambar (53) has two sons. Initially, Ambar worked at home as a housewife. However, after being left by her husband, she had to support herself and her two children alone. She made various efforts to survive, from working with a small income to opening a fried chicken franchise. However, her food business could not run well due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was forced to close her business because her income continued to decline drastically. In response to this, she had to find another way to continue earning an income.

Finding a Way Out with Determination and Hard Work

The COVID-19 pandemic initially made it difficult for Ambar to earn an income because sales always declined. In fact, on some days she made no sales at all. At one point, she received orders from people around her to make snack boxes such as pastel, risol, and other small snacks. From there, Ambar began to frequently receive orders for various other types of food.

Her Hard Work Leads to an Opportunity

Ambar felt that her food order business needed further development. At one opportunity, through information she found in a WhatsApp group she was in, Ambar learned about the registration opening for the batch III frozen food training organized by YIIM together with PTC. Without hesitation, Ambar registered herself for the program. The opportunity she received proved fruitful. Ambar not only received frozen food training, but she also became a beneficiary of aid from the program. This opportunity also had a significant impact on the development of her business. Ambar successfully received assistance from the program in the form of equipment to develop her frozen food business.

Making Good Use of the Opportunity

Currently, Ambar has developed her frozen food business through the equipment assistance provided by YIIM and PTC. Her frozen food business sells various types of food such as banana nuggets, tofu meatballs, risoles, solo sausages, and others. She has even added other businesses such as selling cookies, sponge cakes, and opening a catering service. Ambar named her business “R&D Food.” Ambar has also obtained halal certification for the cookies she sells. She has even obtained a distribution permit for her food from BPOM.

Her frozen food products are sold from Rp 15,000 (fifteen thousand rupiah) to Rp 25,000 (twenty-five thousand rupiah); the income Ambar earns from this business is unpredictable. However, Ambar once earned Rp 10,000,000 (ten million rupiah) from various products including catering within one week. She sells her products offline and online via WhatsApp to various groups and communities she knows. She also receives help from friends to market her products through word of mouth.

Achievements Resulting from Determination and Hard Work

Equipped with her skills, Ambar actively participates in several cooking competitions in the Tangerang area. In 2022, Ambar won three competitions, namely a competition at the National Cooperative Day in South Tangerang, a competition at the Bintaro Modern Market, and an UMKM competition in South Tangerang. Ambar is also often invited to teach and be a cooking speaker at various events. She wants the knowledge she has gained to not stop with her alone. Therefore, whenever Ambar receives offers to teach and be a speaker, she always accepts them. She wants the benefits she has gained to continue flowing to those in need.

“In these fluctuating times, we have to be smart in finding something that generates income. If there is an opportunity, use it well to broaden knowledge…”

Not only that, Ambar also actively participates in other training programs. She feels that in these uncertain times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she must find something that generates income. If she gets an opportunity, she also tries to utilize it well to broaden her knowledge, especially in the field of entrepreneurship.

Hopes for Her Achievements

Ambar feels very grateful for the assistance she received from the frozen food social entrepreneurship program organized by YIIM together with Pertamina Training Consulting (PTC). She feels that the training and assistance she received are very valuable and have helped her develop her business and support her economically.

“From this training, I feel very helped and grateful, as I gained more knowledge about frozen food which has increased my income and enhanced my skills…”

Ambar’s hope for the future is to develop her business to become more advanced and open a small café. Not only that, Ambar also wants to learn more about financial management. She does this because she often cannot allocate funds in a balanced way between her business capital and the profit she earns to survive.

For friends who are curious and want to try the dishes made by Mrs. Ambar, you can visit her address at Jln. AMD V RT 01 RW 07 No. 26A Kp. Sawah, Ciputat, South Tangerang. Additionally, you can also ask about information on the food products she sells and place orders via WhatsApp at +62 895-3978-81456 (Ambar Yuliasiwi).

Salam Inspirasi!