FAKFAK – Eagerness to attend training led 17 prospective local business agents in the Weri-Saharey Transmigration Area, Fakfak Regency, West Papua, to walk eight kilometers every day. For five days, they made the trip to attend the Integrated Business Competence Enhancement Training held by Hasanuddin University Patriot Expedition Team (TEP) Group 11.
The training was attended by 36 participants who had gone through a phased selection process. It was designed to strengthen the capacity of prospective local business agents so they can support and develop community enterprises across the three economic pillars of the Weri-Saharey Transmigration Area.
For participants from Saharey village (kampung), distance was no reason to stop learning. Every day, they walked about an hour to the training venue in Weri village (kampung). One participant, Jefri Junaldi Fuad, said the journey itself became part of the enthusiasm for attending the training for attending the training.
“Even though I had to spend about an hour walking every day to reach the training venue, I kept going with enthusiasm. Because for me, this training is very useful,” said Jefri.
The participants, who come from the Weri and Saharey village youth groups, have diverse educational backgrounds. Most have never attended university. Even so, they took on the fairly challenging training material with enthusiasm.
The training was designed not only around classroom learning but also used a project-based learning approach. This approach was applied to help participants understand business problems directly while training their ability to design solutions that can be applied in the field.
The activity is part of Unhas TEP 11’s effort to follow up on the directive of the Minister of Transmigration of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara, S.H., M.A., that the Patriot Transmigration program should not stop at research reports and field activities, but should deliver lasting benefits to the community.
Over five days, participants were equipped with five main competencies, namely:
- Business Diagnostic,
- Practical Improvement Design,
- Mentoring and Facilitation,
- Market and Resource Linkage,
- Monitoring and Sustainability.
The material was delivered through interactive lectures, discussions, and independent practice. These competencies are expected to equip participants to identify business problems, design improvements, provide mentoring, build market and resource networks, and ensure the sustainability of community enterprises.
Industrial and organizational psychologist and Unhas lecturer Suryadi Tandiayuk was one of the training’s speakers. Meanwhile, an understanding of communication behavior and mentoring techniques was provided through an interactive dialogue with counseling psychology expert Asma.
Participants also received market analysis material from agroindustry practitioner and Fakfak State Polytechnic lecturer Maryati. In Maryati’s view, the Weri-Saharey community has potential that can be developed into local economic strength, one example being nutmeg processing.
“This training is very useful for improving the community’s economy. I see that the Weri-Saharey community has many competencies, especially in processing nutmeg,” said Maryati.
The Head of Unhas TEP 11, Hillman Wirawan, said the training, held at the East Fakfak State Junior High School (SMP Negeri Fakfak Timur) building from Monday to Friday, 7 to 11 September 2026, could have an impact on efforts to build the strength and sustainability of local businesses in the Weri-Saharey Transmigration Area.
According to Hillman, local business agents are expected to act as liaison agents who help the community develop business potential, from identifying needs to connecting enterprises with available markets and resources.
“We hope that in the future this will produce 36 certified local business agents who are ready to support community enterprises,” said Hillman.
Through the training, Unhas TEP 11 not only equipped participants with business knowledge but also prepared local human resources who are expected to sustain the economic development of the Weri-Saharey community.(*/ams)
Editor : Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.