Social Affairs Minister Risma Launches PENA Muda

JAKARTA (June 2, 2024) - Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini launched the Pahlawan Ekonomi Nusantara (PENA) Muda program (PENA for young beneficiaries), a community empowerment program to get out of poverty. The recipients not only get business capital assistance but also assistance in doing business, assistance in packaging, marketing, and financial literacy. 

PENA Muda is prioritized for young people aged 20-30 years whose parents are recipients of the Family Hope Program (PKH). There are no special requirements to join the PENA Muda program, as long as they have a strong determination to try, get out of poverty, and strive for success. Before joining the PENA Muda program, the participants will take part in an assessment to determine whether or not they are accepted into the program. Now, there are more than 500 PENA Muda proposals have passed quality control.

Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini, who launched the PENA Muda program online on Sunday (2/6), said that everyone has the right to succeed. Nothing is impossible in this world if people try to achieve success.

"It is not easy to achieve success. Various challenges will surely come your way. But you should not be afraid. If you fall, get up again immediately. Fall and fail again, then get up again. So on until failure is afraid to approach us," said Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini motivating around 1,000 participants who participated in the activity online.

The PENA program implemented by the Ministry of Social Affairs has succeeded in producing tens of thousands of successful entrepreneurs, namely beneficiary families (KPM) who have successfully run their businesses and earn an income above the district/city minimum wage (UMK). Because they have earned an income above the UMK, they no longer receive social assistance (bansos) or have to graduate.

From 2023 to April 30, 2024, 25,360 beneficiary families (KPM) have been successfully graduated, or no longer dependent on social assistance. Through the PENA Muda program, it is hoped that more KPM will successfully run a business so that they no longer depend on social assistance.