InfoSAWIT, CIKIDANG – A villager of Kampung Pengkolan, Village of Nangka Koneng, Sub district of Cikidang, Regency of Sukabumi, Hendi (53) successfully turned the wastes of palm oil stick to be high economic handy crafts. His business started since Covid-19 pandemic when many people stopped their activity and worked from home.

Hendi told how the pandemic changed his life up side - down. “The first inspiration started from Covid-19 pandemic because there was much time to be at home and I did not work. I thought how to survive. Eventually, I got this idea,” he said, as InfoSAWIT quoted from Radar Jabar, Tuesday (27/8/2024).

For having much time to be at home, Hendi decided to do the handy crafts by using palm oil stick that were taken as wastes. In few years, his business that was oriented to survive, now gets bigger and become the main source of living for Hendi and his family.

In his hands, Hendi turned palm oil stick to be kinds of interesting products, such as, plate, cup, broom, fruit basket, trophy, and medallion. The products are sold not only in Cikidang but also to other regions in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi through social media and his network.

"Alhamdulillah, the products are well-known in many regions. I did always have stands in many exhibitions to sell these products,” Hendi said.

Besides focusing on the production and selling, he wanted to share his knowledge and take the local wisdom of Cikidang. He always trained many students in schools that wanted to learn about the handy crafts from palm oil stick. “I hope the local wisdom of Cikidang would be more famous and lifted up. If the business gets developed, I would hire the local people,” he said.

Hendi sold his handy crafts in various prices, starting from Rp 5.000 until Rp 35.000. it depends on the kinds, difficulty, and size of products. With his strong spirit and the will to empower the local, Hendi proved that creativity and persistency would change the challenge to be chance in the hard times such as pandemic. (T2)