Surabaya, July 1 – August 8, 2025 — The Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga (FEB UNAIR) once again held the Peduli UMK Vol.2 program, an initiative designed to strengthen the role of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as the backbone of the local economy. This activity was carried out by Rizcha Nur Ramadhania, a student of the Economics Study Program, class of 2024, with the guidance of Muhamad Said Fathurrohman, SE., M.Sc. and support from the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) Regional Office IV.
Three local MSEs in Surabaya became partners in the program: Seblak Akza, Tusuk Sate Barokah Bambu, and Laundry Cahaya. Based on field identification, the three MSEs presented distinct yet interrelated challenges. Seblak Akza faces challenges in leveraging social media for promotion, resulting in product unknowns outside the local community. Tusuk Sate Barokah Bambu faces challenges with its manual and rudimentary financial records, making it difficult to separate personal and business cash flow. Meanwhile, Laundry Cahaya has not fully adopted digital payment systems like QRIS, despite increasing consumer demand for cashless transactions.
These issues demonstrate that there remains a significant gap between the potential of MSEs in Surabaya and their ability to adapt to digital and managerial developments. This is the basis for the implementation of the Surabaya MSE Care Vol. 2 program.
To address these challenges, the Surabaya MSME Care Vol. 2 program provides intensive outreach and mentoring tailored to the needs of each MSME. For the Akza Seblak business, the focus is on digital marketing strategies utilizing social media platforms, including hands-on practice creating simple promotional content. The Barokah Bambu Skewer business receives mentoring in preparing more systematic financial records so that business cash flow can be clearly monitored. Meanwhile, for the Cahaya Laundry business, the solution provided is mentoring in the use of a non-cash payment system through QRIS, so that the business is more adaptive to modern consumer habits.
Furthermore, a participatory approach is implemented: MSEs are directly involved in simulations, discussions, and field practices, ensuring that the solutions provided are not only theoretical but also applicable to their respective business conditions. This approach is expected to sustainably strengthen the competitiveness of Surabaya's MSEs.
One of the MSMEs, Ms. Sunarti, owner of Seblak Akza, said:
"This activity really helped us understand how to manage our business better, especially in utilizing digital media for promotions and creating QRIS."
In addition to positively impacting MSEs, this activity also enhances student experience. Rizcha revealed that direct involvement in the field has enabled her to hone her communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills. This emphasizes the role of higher education institutions as agents of change, not only preparing academically superior graduates but also contributing to community empowerment.
This activity has strong relevance to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
SDG 1 (No Poverty): through strengthening the economy of small communities.
SDG 4 (Quality Education): through knowledge transfer in training and mentoring.
SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): by supporting MSEs to be more productive and competitive.
SDG 17 (Partnerships to Achieve the Goals): reflected in the synergy between students, universities, KPPU, and the community.
With the conclusion of the Peduli UMK Vol. 2 series on August 8, 2025, it is hoped that this program will leave a lasting legacy. MSEs in Surabaya not only gained new knowledge but also the motivation to continue developing amidst increasingly dynamic market competition.
Meanwhile, for FEB UNAIR students, this activity is concrete evidence that the knowledge they learn can have a direct impact on society. The collaboration with the KPPU also emphasizes the importance of the regulator's role in creating a healthy and equitable business climate.
Overall, the Peduli UMK Vol. 2 program is not just a community service activity, but a collaborative movement that can strengthen the MSE ecosystem, improve community welfare, and support Surabaya's local economic growth. This synergy between academics, regulators, and the community is expected to continue in future programs to achieve more independent, innovative, and competitive MSEs.