Education and SMEs

[Bahasa Indonesia]

I remember passing by a riverbank one day, where all the small wooden huts reside. I asked my friend how we can eliminate them. He simply responded, by erradicating poverty. So true. How?

Education and SME development. I really truly believe those were the two things that will revive my country. Don’t ask me to give you the comprehensive logical argument on why I believe it, I just do.

Education. No further argument needed.

Small and medium enterprises. The majority of companies in Indonesia is considered to be a small or medium companies. The majority. Can you imagine if most of them grow? Can you imagine how strong the economy would be?

Again, how to do that?

The million dollar question. I will quote another friend when I asked him, “What can we do?” He said: just do what we can. Spot on, babe. You're thinking too much. Stop thinking, start doing.

What can we do? A lot of things. Look at the family of those who work for you. The office boy. The driver. The maid. The street hawker that pass by your house everyday.

Do you have time to spare, skills to share? Volunteer. Support any type of social activities around you, whichever you are comfortable with, does not really matter.

Do you like to write? Then for God’s sake start writing. Anywhere.

Do you have money? Donate. Give up those four cups of Starbuck's coffee a month and give the money to the needy instead.

Be a true professional at what you do, whatever it may be. No corruption. No complaints. If you are a consultant, consult well. If you are a business planner, plan it well. If you are a teller, count well. You have a job? Consider yourself lucky.

Smile and say hello to those who open the door for you, to those who clean up your desk, to those who take you to work, to those strangers whom you meet at the lift everyday.

If you can’t do all the above, at least please do not make the condition any worse. The signs are everywhere. What are you waiting for?

Start doing something. Anything.