BANDUNG – On Thursday (21/8/2025), the Daarul Hajj Hall at Daarut Tauhiid Bandung was filled with the joyful celebration of resilient women marking the close of the Garuda Food Entrepreneurship Village (KWGF) 2025, a five-year program fostering transformation and hope.
Behind the modest ceremony lie powerful stories of change that define the true spirit of the event. For example, Pipit Fitriani once had no business of her own; today, she dares to dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur.
“The benefit for us is that we gained additional income, learned about sales and promotion, and even got used to facing rejection. Alhamdulillah, we also received agent-level prices directly from Garuda Food. My hope is to grow further and eventually open a wholesale business,” she said with optimism.
The spirit of transformation echoes in the experience of another participant, Ines Setiawirani, who once had no shop of her own. Thanks to the program, she now manages a small store selling Garuda Food products.
“Alhamdulillah, I didn’t have a stall before, but now I own a shop. That’s because of the knowledge I gained here,” she shared.
For Yati Suryanti from Tasikmalaya, the impact went beyond just business figures.
“Besides getting cheaper prices to resell to shops, I also gained many new friends and networks. My sales went up, my motivation increased, and I now have the skills to expand my business,” she explained.
All three women were selected as the best participants in the 2025 KWGF program, which began in March. Yati secured First Place for successfully growing her initial capital of IDR 1.5 million into IDR 25 million in just four months.
Empowering 1,500 Women
KWGF is an economic empowerment initiative designed to help housewives become more independent and confident in entrepreneurship. It is part of Garuda Food’s CSR program, run in collaboration with DT Peduli and Kopmu-DT as implementing partners.
According to Nunung Arif, Branch Head of Garuda Food’s Padalarang Depot, the company is proud of the dedication shown by the women participants.
“We are impressed by their willingness to keep learning at any age, to create, and to innovate. The creative product ideas we often see shared in WhatsApp groups, like snack bouquets, show outstanding creativity,” she said.
Garuda Food also expressed deep appreciation to DT Peduli and Kopmu-DT. Since the program’s launch in 2017, this collaboration has nurtured thousands of new entrepreneurs. Although it was interrupted for three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the spirit of empowerment never faded.
Sansan, Chairperson of the DT Community Empowerment Cooperative, noted that up to this year, KWGF has engaged 1,500 women participants across Bandung, Tasikmalaya, Garut, and Cianjur. Participants were divided into small groups of three and received intensive mentoring every two weeks. The results have been remarkable: from an initial capital of IDR 1.5 million, some groups achieved turnovers of up to IDR 25 million.
“This closing is not the end, but the conclusion of the first stage. The next phases will include intermediate and scale-up levels,” he explained.
For DT Peduli, this program aligns with its broader mission of empowering communities through economic independence. Muhammad Ruly Bachrul Asana, Chairman of DT Peduli Foundation, emphasised that the program’s success reflects the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration.
“Over the past five years, this program has not only improved family economies but also transformed mindsets. The women became more confident, courageous, and empowered. This is in line with our vision to help communities achieve independence,” he said.
Although the first stage of KWGF officially concluded in 2025, the entrepreneurial spirit of these women is just beginning. From small stalls to wholesale shops, from simple snacks to creative food bouquets – everything starts with the courage to learn.