"I saw first-hand how former migrants were able to develop businesses that were not only profitable for themselves, but also beneficial for the surrounding community," he said while visiting a garment business run by a former migrant worker, Didi Kusnadi, in Cirebon, West Java, on Saturday.
He explained that Kusnadi's business currently has a turnover of hundreds of millions of rupiah per month, and is managed using a modern system.
According to the minister, entrepreneurship is one of the most effective forms of empowerment for former migrants returning to their hometowns.
Therefore, he called for the formation of cooperatives or joint business entities to enable collaboration and strengthen the economic status of former migrant workers.
He further said that efforts to empower former migrant workers could take the form of skills training, business mentoring, and opening up access to capital.
He noted that their experience, including foreign language skills, can also be used to support the training of prospective migrant workers.
During his visit to Cirebon, Karding also heard the aspirations of members of the Indonesian Former Migrant Workers Association, which, he said, will be used to improve the policies and regulations of his ministry.
He then emphasized the importance of former migrant workers using technology in developing their businesses.
He assured that his ministry will provide concrete support, including in obtaining business legality as well as accessing export markets for products made by former migrant workers.
"We are ready to help their businesses to not only develop in the country but also be able to penetrate the foreign markets," he said.
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Translator: Fathnur Rohman, Raka Adji
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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