TPSA, in partnership with the Angel Investment Network Indonesia (ANGIN), held a one-day workshop in Takengon to help bridge the gap between women-owned SMEs and lenders/investors. The event provided relevant information to women entrepreneurs about various types of financial products and services currently offered by funding sources. The event was also an opportunity for government and the private sector to hear directly from the women owners of SMES about what they need financially to improve their businesses. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/workshop-in-takengon-helps-bridge-the-gap-between-women-owned-apparel-smes-and-capital-providers/

TPSA, in partnership with the Angel Investment Network Indonesia (ANGIN), held a one-day workshop in Solo to help bridge the gap between women-owned SMEs and lenders/investors. The event provided relevant information to women entrepreneurs about various types of financial products and services currently offered by funding sources. The event was also an opportunity for government and the private sector to hear directly from the women owners of SMES about what they need financially to improve their businesses. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/workshop-in-solo-helps-bridge-the-gap-between-women-owned-apparel-smes-and-capital-providers/

TPSA’s project partner, the Directorate General of National Export Development of the Ministry of Trade, organized a half-day sharing knowledge forum for SME apparel producers in Bandung. Bandung and its surrounding area is a well-known centre for apparel and textile producers in Indonesia. The forum was aimed at sharing knowledge and skills on strategies for Indonesian apparel firms to successfully export to Canada. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/tpsa-discusses-market-potential-in-canada-for-indonesian-apparel-and-footwear-exports/

Leaders from 8 Fairtrade-certified women-led cooperatives have, for some time, felt the need to create a forum wherein they could discuss common issues as women in cooperatives and learn from each other. To respond to this need, Fairtrade-NAPP, with the support of TPSA, facilitated a Women in Cooperatives forum on November 29, 2018, in Takengon, Aceh. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/women-in-cooperatives-form-established/

TPSA, in partnership with the Angel Investment Network Indonesia (ANGIN), held a one-day workshop in Bandung to help bridge the gap between women-owned SMEs and lenders/investors. The event provided relevant information to women entrepreneurs about various types of financial products and services currently offered by funding sources. The event was also an opportunity for government and the private sector to hear directly from the women owners of SMES about what they need financially to improve their businesses. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/workshop-in-bandung-helps-bridge-the-gap-between-women-owned-smes-and-capital-providers/

The TPSA project organized a coffee buyer mission to Gayo Highland in Aceh Province for three Canadian buyers from November 15–20, 2018. The buyers visited five TPSA coffee producers in Aceh Tengah and Bener Meriah districts. The Gayo Highland region is the largest Arabica coffee producing region in Indonesia and has been one of the most highly demanded coffee in Canada and the United States. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/canadian-buyers-visit-indonesian-coffee-growers-in-aceh/

During the August 2018 Apparel Textile Sourcing Canada (ATSC) trade show, the four Indonesian apparel SMEs supported by TPSA (Bule-Bule, Tiga Selaras Bersama, Unique, and World KNK) met potential buyers who expressed interest in pursuing business opportunities. The first buyer to participate in a mission to Indonesia was Fashion Priests. Fashion Priests had already started the process of quoting and developing samples with Unique and Bule-Bule. They also had the opportunity to meet with World KNK and Tiga Seleras Bersama while in Indonesia to discuss business prospects. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/canadian-buyer-visits-tpsas-indonesian-apparel-smes/.

The Ministry of Trade held a knowledge dissemination event on November 7, 2018, where the TPSA intern—Rahayu Ningsih—presented her findings on strengthening Indonesia’s export of fish and processed fish products to Canada to 32 of her colleagues from a number of different Ministry of Trade directorates. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/tpsa-intern-shares-findings-on-canadian-food-and-product-standards-regulations/

A pilot training on women’s leadership in coffee cooperatives was held for Kokowagayo and Ara Cahayani Gayo cooperatives on November 6–8, 2018. The pilot training is a follow-up to the 5-day training of trainers (ToT) on women’s leadership in coffee cooperatives that took place October 15–19, 2018, for 18 women leaders and key staff of six women-led cooperatives in Aceh.

The main objective of the ToT was to increase the knowledge of leaders and staff of these cooperatives about how women’s leadership and membership contributes to cooperatives’ democratic governance and economic success and the training and advocacy skills to promote it. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/pilot-leadership-training-for-two-women-led-coffee-cooperatives-kokowagayo-and-ara-cahayani-gayo/

The “Indonesian-made boots” described in this Footwear News feature are produced by P.T. Venamon, one of the Indonesian footwear firms that are supported by the Canada–Indonesia TPSA Project. Turkish artist Vahap Avsar is introducing footwear to his  Crypto Spring 2019 collection of messenger bags. Venamon, second-generation, family-owned footwear manufacturer, is one of the premier suppliers to the Indonesian army as well as the local police forces. Now in business for more than 40 years, Venamon meets the challenges of building products for endurance and comfort in one of the wettest climates in the world.

PT Venamon also welcomed Canada’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Peter MacArthur, in May 2018.  Sisters Henny and Lenny Setiadi took Ambassador MacArthur on a tour of their plant and discussed the positive changes they have made with TPSA assistance. Learn more at https://tpsaproject.com/event/canadian-ambassador-to-indonesia-visits-tpsa-footwear-firm-in-bandung/