Amanah Encourages Aceh's MSMEs to Upgrade Through an Innovation Ecosystem |
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are a key pillar of the Indonesian economy. According to national data, the MSME sector makes a significant contribution, contributing approximately 61 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing up to 97 percent of the country's workforce.
In Aceh, this enormous potential is now being harnessed through a movement initiated by the Amanah Foundation (Aneuk Muda Aceh Unggul dan Hebat, or Young Acehnese Youth for Excellence and Greatness).
This was emphasized by the Chairman of Amanah, Syaifullah Muhammad, on the sidelines of the 2026 Gebyar Amanah event, held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at the Amanah Building, Ladong, Aceh Besar Regency. The event, which ran from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB), successfully attracted attention and was attended by hundreds of residents from the surrounding communities of Aceh Besar and Banda Aceh.
Gebyar Amanah 2026 demonstrated Amanah's role as a key stakeholder in the people's economy movement, MSME empowerment, and creative economy development. The event featured a variety of activities, including an MSME Bazaar, a Melon Harvest in a Greenhouse, an Affordable Food Movement, Healthy Heart Exercises, a Blood Donation Campaign, and direct public services such as driver's license renewals from the Traffic Police, banking services from Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI), and free medical check-ups from the Health Department.
The positive impact of this grand event was also felt directly by the local ecosystem surrounding the event. Amanah's consistent events proved effective in instantly stimulating the local economy. The presence of hundreds of visitors at the Amanah Ladong Building brought blessings to small traders, stall owners, and local service providers in the area, who experienced a surge in visits and a significant increase in sales throughout the event.
Syaifullah Muhammad expressed his gratitude to Aceh for being one of the few regions with an innovation and empowerment center of Amanah's caliber.
"In Indonesia, only two provinces have integrated facilities like Amanah: Aceh and Papua. Therefore, Aceh's MSMEs should have a much better opportunity to grow and advance. The facilities here are excellent, and Amanah is committed to regularly holding events like this so that the process of coaching, mentoring, and capacity building for MSMEs can continue sustainably," said Syaifullah.
Photos of MSMEs at Bantayan Beach, Seunuddon, North Aceh, Indonesia.
The Amanah Ladong building itself is currently equipped with various modern, full-scale facilities to support product downstreaming. These include a greenhouse, a biofloc system for freshwater fish cultivation, a technology house, a packaging house, a music studio, a podcast studio, a photography studio, a library, a fashion house, and a waste recycling house. Furthermore, there are advanced research and production facilities such as a laboratory, a patchouli oil and derivatives production house, a coffee production house, a cafe, and a coffee education laboratory.
To optimize this potential, Syaifullah emphasized the importance of multi-sector collaboration, or the Pentahelix model. He called on all elements of society—from universities, government, businesses, communities, and the mass media—to work together to contribute to improving the regional economy.
"We urge all stakeholders to work together. Let's minimize differences and maximize similarities to build mutual trust, and reduce sectoral egos that have been weakening each other. We must unite so that the community can receive real assistance in the process of improving their economy," emphasized the Amanah Chairman.
This grand event was attended and fully supported by a number of important regional figures, including the Head of Aceh's Intelligence Agency (Kabinda), the Commander of the Aceh Besar Military District (Dandim), the Vice Rector I of Syiah Kuala University (USK), the Head of the Aceh Food Agency, the Manager of the Indonesian Food Safety Agency (BSI), the Aceh Besar Traffic Police, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), and representatives from the Transportation Agency, the Cooperatives Agency, and the Industry and Trade Agency (Disperindag).
During the event, representatives from Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI) and the Aceh Provincial Food Service also delivered similar remarks, appreciating Amanah's progressive steps and expressing their readiness to continue to oversee the growth of local businesses in Aceh so they can compete on the national and global stage.[]
Curated by:@wirngo