Youth employment
Empowering Indonesian youth and refugee youth through social enterprises
As part of the ongoing livelihood skills for Indonesian youth and refugee youth, the ILO and UNHCR introduced the benefits of community-based social enterprises, supported by four social entrepreneurs.

This is really a good opportunity for us to interact with a wider community of Indonesian youth and refugees. We can create new business opportunities that benefit us all."
Hartoyo, founder of Srikendes
This interactive business workshop, held in the mid of November, titled “Empowering Community through Social Enterprises” was part of the ongoing livelihood training programmes for Indonesian youth and refugee youth since 2018, jointly held by the ILO and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Agency (UNHCR), with support from Atma Jaya University and Dompet Dhuafa. The programmes aim to support Indonesian youth and refugee youth with livelihood skills that will improve their self-reliance and livelihood.

Both ILO and UNCHR believe that social enterprise approach will create positive impacts for Indonesia and will provide a basis for economic empowerment for them."
Tendy Gunawan, the ILO’s programme officer for enterprise development
To date, Indonesia as a home for more than 14,000 foreign refugees, including their young generations.
Introducing the benefits of social enterprises, Stephanie Arifin, founder of Social Enterprise Platform (PLUS), explained that social enterprises are businesses aimed to change the world for the better. “Just like traditional businesses, social enterprises aim to make profits but they reinvest and donate them to create positive social change in the communities,” she highlighted the importance of social enterprises.
People with disabilities still face similar challenges in accessing employment and business. Thus, we hope to build a good business that give benefits to the community."
M. Adhika Prakoso, founder of Kopitul
“This is really a good opportunity for us to interact with a wider community of Indonesian youth and refugees. We can create new business opportunities that benefit us all,” said Hartoyo, founder of Srikendes.
Meanwhile, M. Adhika Prakoso, founder of Kopitul, welcomed the opportunity to share his vision on better interaction with people with disabilities and non-disabilities. “People with disabilities still face similar challenges in accessing employment and business. Thus, we hope to build a good business that give benefits to the community,” he said through his sign-language interpreter.
