DOING BUSINESS AND EDUCATING EARLY CHILDHOOD

Participating in strengthening MSMEs, the Management Department of Parahyangan Catholic University (Unpar) routinely carries out the Unpar Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises (SCORE) Program led by Ms. Triyana Iskandarsyah, Dra., M.M. SCORE is a program initiated by the International Labor Organization (ILO). Unpar got to know the SCORE Program in 2016 through the Business and Export Development Organization (BEDO) with Mr. Jeff Kristianto as Program Manager and Mr. Januar Rustandie as Project Manager of SCORE Indonesia.

I participated as a trainer and coach in the Unpar SCORE Program. One of the micro-enterprises being assisted  is ‘Erica Ngecoz’. ‘Erica’ is taken from the name of business owner Rika Novianty and ‘Ngecoz’ is a Sundanese term meaning ‘to sew’. From her passion for sewing, Ibu Rika has opened a handicraft business, making ‘busy books’, ‘storytelling corners’, and customized products with special themes, such as food replication, medical props, etc. In the assisting process, a new product called ‘storytelling gloves’ appeared.

The handmade ‘busy book’ product is in the form of a book from flannel sheets, each sheet is decorated for motor education for children, such as: tying shoelaces. The 1mx2m cloth ‘storytelling corner’ is decorated as needed. Also ‘storytelling gloves’ with different characters on each finger. All of them are educational literacy teaching props for PAUD teachers. While doing business, Ibu Rika also helps educate the early childhood.