Indonesia—Mitra Kunci Initiative

Indonesia is a growing regional and global player, having experienced a remarkable democratic and economic transformation over the last two decades. However, the country remains at a development crossroads, with 40 percent of the population earning less than $2 a day.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Mitra Kunci Initiative is providing Indonesia’s poorest and most vulnerable with skills needed to be productive members of Indonesia’s workforce. Young people, women, and people with disabilities will receive training, information, and resources to prepare them to meet the needs of the private sector.

By assisting Indonesia’s efforts to improve the skills needed to work in the local market, more Indonesians can break the cycle of extreme poverty, have the opportunity to reach their full potential, and contribute to global prosperity and self-reliance.

Sri Setyaningsih, center, advocates for people with disabilities in Boyolali with two of her business team members.

Sample Activities

• Improve the quality of workforce development programs through targeted grant programs and gender and social inclusion training.
• Implement innovative workforce development models, such as community engagement workshops and a youth internship program.
• Increase collaboration between key workforce development stakeholders through a series of learning workshops and establishment of a coordination hub to share good practices.

Select Results

• Engaged 25,270 people—more than half of whom were women—in youth festivals, a Student Services Entrepreneurship Program, youth camps, workshops, and more activities.
• Provided workforce development programs to 13,333 people, more than half of whom were women. The participants have improved job skills and 212 of them have new or better employment.
• Trained 1,030 service providers (578 male and 452 female) who serve vulnerable persons.