The Indonesian representative office in Taiwan on Sunday organized a free handicraft lesson to teach Indonesian migrant workers how to make homemade bottle lamps so that they could become entrepreneurs when they return home.
The lesson was held at the Indonesia Exhibition Center at the Indonesian Economic and Trade Office (IETO) in Taipei and was attended by close to 40 participants, most of whom were caregivers.
The participants decorated their lamps made of recycled glass bottles using paint, decoupage and LED lights.
Class instructor Dwi Tantri, an Indonesian community leader and caregiver based in Keelung, said that the event aimed to teach Indonesian migrant workers a skill that they could use to start a small business when they return home.
A beautifully handmade bottle lamp can sell in Indonesia for about NT$500, or 251,706 rupiah, which is a considerable amount for the participants, because the average daily salary of an Indonesian caregiver in Taiwan is only NT$567, Tantri said.
The ability to start a small business in Indonesia after returning from Taiwan meant that the workers would not have to leave their families again to work in another country, she added.
“We should be staying with our families where we are happy and at the same time be able to make an income,” said Tantri, who has a husband and six sons in Indonesia.
Having already worked in Taiwan for over a decade, Tantri said she would be returning to Indonesia this year and looks forward to forming partnerships with other former migrant workers to start businesses.
Those taking the lesson expressed their gratitude to IETO for helping them learn new skills.
Winarsih, a 47-year-old caregiver who works in Taipei, said she was thrilled and plans to sell handicrafts when she returns to Indonesia, while Ratna Juwita Sari said she found the lesson beneficial and hopes to attend future training sessions.
Siti Fatimah, a 28-year-old caregiver who works in New Taipei City, said that even though she does not have concrete plans to open a business, she had always wanted to learn how to make bottle lamps.
“I wanted to learn so I can also teach my family and friends. If they like it then we might think about starting a business,” Siti said.
Noerman Adhiguna, an analyst at IETO’s labor department, said they plan to hold handicraft, culinary, makeup and beauty lessons, as well as other related training programs free of charge, and hope to teach up to 500 Indonesian workers this year.
However, the lessons would be organized depending on the COVID-19 situation, Noerman said, adding that IETO has been organizing and co-organizing training activities for Indonesian workers for many years, but gatherings have been limited due to the coronavirus.
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