Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Presidential Communication Office (PCO) stated that the Red and White Co-ops act as a bridge for villages to achieve economic independence.

The initiative is part of President Prabowo Subianto’s efforts to strengthen village economies and improve villagers' welfare.

“Red and White Co-ops are a monumental step that marks a new era of village-based national development. They represent the people's sovereignty in managing their own resources,” Adita Irawati, an advisor at the PCO, noted in a statement here on Wednesday.

Marking Indonesia's 80th anniversary, Irawati described the Red and White Co-ops as a symbol of a new era of economic freedom.

“Through these cooperatives, rural communities are expected to become more empowered. The Red and White Co-ops give them the opportunity to achieve economic independence,” she affirmed.

She noted that these Red and White Co-ops also function as a bridge for communities transitioning from dependence on social assistance to engaging in productive and sustainable economic empowerment.

Currently, she noted that several villages and urban neighborhoods in Indonesia continue to face challenges in meeting basic needs and stimulating local economies. For instance, 90 percent of fishermen's catches still cannot be properly stored.

Additionally, five million micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) remain trapped in loan shark schemes, and more than 50 thousand villages still lack healthcare facilities.

To address these issues, President Prabowo launched 80,081 Red and White Co-ops on July 21, 2025, as a strategic step to build an independent, inclusive, and equitable people's economy.

The program supports the third point of the government's Asta Cita mission, which places cooperatives at the heart of driving village economies by creating jobs, fostering entrepreneurship, and strengthening community production centers sustainably.

Dedi Nurendi, Chair of the Red and White Co-op in Cileunyi Wetan Village, Cileunyi District, Bandung, West Java, stated that the cooperative has helped ease the burden on residents.

“This cooperative addresses the concerns of people who previously had to travel far to buy daily necessities," he remarked.



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