The Empowering Women in Ramadhan: How to Prepare Your Small Food and Beverages Business program was successfully held at GBIP Sejahtera Jakarta as part of a community service initiative. This program aimed to enhance women’s capacity in developing small businesses in the food and beverage sector, particularly in seizing market opportunities during the holy month of Ramadhan.
The program was conducted in three main stages: preparation, implementation, and evaluation. The preparation stage involved discussions to develop relevant materials for participants. During the implementation stage, participants received insights on entrepreneurship in the F&B industry, strategies for starting a culinary business, food processing and packaging techniques, and digital marketing. Additionally, a hands-on session was conducted, where participants learned to create UMKM products such as Milky Strawberry Matcha, Sushi Mentai, and Matcha Puff Pastry.
A total of 41 participants, mostly housewives and teenagers, enthusiastically took part in the event. Evaluation results indicated a significant improvement in their knowledge and skills, particularly in production, packaging, and marketing aspects of the culinary business. Some participants immediately applied their newfound knowledge to their businesses.
While the program had a positive impact, challenges such as limited time, access to capital, and varying levels of digital literacy were identified. As a response, follow-up mentoring sessions will be a priority moving forward.
This success is expected to inspire more women to develop their culinary businesses and leverage business opportunities during Ramadhan.
