LocationsLestari Jamuku: A Social Business Journey Fueled by Youth Co:Lab's Impact
December 20, 2023
Jamu is a traditional Indonesian herbal medicine incorporating various natural ingredients, such as roots, herbs, spices, and fruits. The recipes for jamu are often passed down through generations and can vary based on regional traditions and personal preferences, especially in Central Java. Considering the diversity of herbal medicine plants in Indonesia, each region has different types of jamu adapted to the herbal flora native to that area.
Intan and her partner are among those who enjoy jamu. In 2018, they often interacted with jamu sellers they met on the streets. However, their favorite jamu seller passed away, and none of the seller' unique recipes were passed down to their family, relatives, or children.
The scarcity of jamu tradition among modern people highlights wider concerns about the potential extinction of jamu knowledge and practices, because of the lack of written documentation today. The establishment of Lestari Jamuku reflects on the spirit of bringing back the awareness of jamu tradition. The word “Lestari” carries the connotation of something that lasts, persists, or can be maintained over time. By the establishment of ‘Lestari Jamuku’, Intan and the team also hope that younger generation will carry on the knowledge and practices about jamu.
Lestari Jamuku has explored the opportunities given by a strong market response. However, the herbal industries often link to the disconnected local market and the uncertainty of herb prices, especially in their hometown, in Karanganyar, Solo, Central Java. herb farmers.
Using their existed knowledge and networks, Lestari Jamuku has provided opportunities to four traditional mobile jamu vendors ("Penjual jamu gendong"). These sellers are strategically placed in Kitchen Tangerang and Rumah Olah Karanganyar, creating localized points of distribution that not only promote the availability of Lestari Jamuku's products but also empower local entrepreneurs. Their commitment to fair trade practices has brought them to sell 300 liters of Jamu per month, transforming nearly 1000 kg of spices, sourced directly from farmers.
The turning point came with their participation in Youth Co:Lab National Bootcamp 2023. Through sessions and coaching, Lestari Jamuku team transformed their mindset, gaining insights and expertise from mentors and fellow entrepreneurs. Intan explained, "I have gained complete guidance for planning, product development, and collaboration from experienced mentors which excels my existed knowledge for the future plan I have for the business."
The program helped the team to reshape their mission as a social business and attune with their mission to drive positive changes. Intan then recalled, “The Youth Co:Lab program not only provides comprehensive guidance but also a flexible framework for planning, product development, collaboration and revenue expansion.”
Selected as a top 10 social business out of 25, Lestari Jamuku proceeded to the Final Pitching in Jakarta to showcase their business and impact, which led them to win the Best Social Impact Award in Youth Co:Lab National Bootcamp 2023. The evaluation criteria for this award encompassed various dimensions, including their ability to articulate the urgency of the social issues they addressed, the solutions proposed, positive impact on community inclusivity, target market demand, business model viability, operational efficiency, sustainability, and the quality of their team.
Lestari Jamuku stands as an exemplar of how social enterprises can thrive, driving positive change with resilience, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to a better future. Lestari Jamuku stands more resilient, daring to dream big through small, impactful initiatives collaboration and new sales channels formed during their Youth Co:Lab journey.
Youth Co:Lab is a regional initiative co-led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Citi Foundation. It focuses on empowering and supporting youth in the Asia-Pacific region to take an active role in addressing social and economic challenges with opportunities to develop entrepreneurial and leadership skills, access resources, and collaborate with partners to create innovative solutions for issues such as unemployment, climate change, and social inequality. The initiative aims to harness the potential of young people to drive positive change and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This program involves various stakeholders including Innovative Financing Lab UNDP, Citi Foundation and Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia. The duration of this year’s Youth Co:Lab is around one and a half months. This year's theme, "inclusive entrepreneurship," is a concept that emphasizes the importance of making entrepreneurship a tool to encompass all layers of society, regardless of age, gender, economic background, or social status.
