Ikatan Mahasiswa Kewirausahaan-IMK “Artha” SBM ITB and Bank Indonesia representatives from West Java collaborated to donate 600 books to Cihapit Market on Wednesday (19/10/2022). The collaboration is part of the “IMK Pasar” work program.
Naufal Damiri Syifa, the chairman of IMK “Artha” ITB, accompanied by Lik Gayantini Ari (the Representative of the West Java Champion Market Team and lecturer of SBM ITB), and Public Relations Officer of Bank Indonesia West Java, Palestina Safitri, together presented a community service activity, with the theme of education.
This community service program is not the first time held by SBM ITB. Since 2015, SBM ITB has conducted similar programs every year, especially for traditional markets in the West Java area.
“SBM, since 2015, has had a ‘Community Care Program’, aiming to rebrand so that these markets are bustling again. This program was started by MBA students, then expanded to undergraduate entrepreneurship students,” said Lik Gayantini Ari.
The idea of market empowerment did not appear suddenly but came from a class assignment of the People and Organization course. This course opened the eyes of many state agencies, such as Bank Indonesia (BI), the West Java Government, and the Bandung City Government.
Many market developments were carried out afterward, ranging from educating traders, and building playgrounds, to building market schools for children in markets, for sellers and visitors, as is the case in Cihapit Market.
The initial involvement of BI turned out to be coincidental. According to Palestina, at that time, BI was renovating the library. Hence, BI, which also collaborated with SBM ITB in the “Reading Corner” program, donated a collection of used books.
“Hopefully, this book collection will be able to add knowledge and insight to students and people in need,” said Mrs. Palestine Safitri.
Naufal Damiri Syifa, the chairman of IMK “Artha” ITB, hopes that, in addition to empowering the market, the activity is also to build student awareness so that in the future, they can internalize the entrepreneurial spirit into their lives.
“This program is implemented so that entrepreneurship students understand that entrepreneurship is not only building a business but also having empathy and solving problems around us,” said Naufal.