Press Release in Indonesian

Batik and denim. The two may not be the common partners to tango with among Indonesian youth. This is not the case, however, for Ivan Kurniawan, a graduate from Informatics Engineering at the Institute Technology of Bandung (ITB), who took interest to preserve batik through his business, “Lazuli Sarae”. Together with Maretta Nirmanda, Ivan’s business partner from Textile Craft at ITB, they combine traditional eastern culture, the batik, with modern western culture of denim. Ivan and Retta use traditional batik colouring methods on denim material to produce unique textile variants.

The output is then processed into various stylish fashion products, such as jackets, cardigan, blazer, shirt, pants, accessories and even shoes. Ivan, now 25 year old, applies his knowledge to develop his business. He markets his products using modern informatics technologies, from developing the store’s own website, www.lazulisarae.com to utilizing social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo! Messenger, as well as e-commerce strategies to attract young people - his primary target market. Only five months after he first started, Ivan has successfully drawn 387 customers from Facebook alone and employs six workers.

Another success story comes from Yunara Ningrum Nasution, student from Nursing Science Faculty at the University of Indonesia (FIK – UI). Yuyun transforms her classroom knowledge into attractive learning method of the human body anatomy for children. Yunara coined the term “Heuphoria” or Health Euphoria. It is her and her friends’ dream to campaign for healthy living by teaching children to know their own bodies, and the organs, better. Ana is the name of the doll that Yuyun created for this purpose. Children and their parents can see Ana’s internal organs – heart, liver, colon, stomach, and lungs. These doll organs can be attached and detached. Together with the doll, Yuyun also provides brochure containing explanation of the functions of each organ.

Ivan and Yunara are two of 10 young people who attained the Shell LiveWIRE Business Start-Up Awards (BSA) 2011. Apart from Ivan and Yunara, Shell LiveWire BSA also recognized the successes of Ariyadi Yunianto (Cendani Spa, Bantul), Muh. Ircham (Kopi Celup Saitama, Ambarawa), Robby Adiarta (Angkringan Cekli, Kudus), M. Fahrian Agam (GoDream, Depok), Lailatus Sa’adah (Krawu Burger, Surabaya) , Elgia Melissa Kirana (Hanaroo Baby Wrap, Bandung), Fauzi Nugraha (Kedai Imah Monyet, Bandung) and M. Baarik Khoiruman (Sego Njamoer, Surabaya). They represent innovative young people who decided to pursue their business ideas, fulfilling the potentials and opportunities in their respective areas and transform them into promising businesses. Their boldness and creativity have flourished and contributed in opening jobs for their community.

“Start-up entrepreneurs like them need our support so that later they can be tough, leading business players in the middle segment. We believe that the synergy shown by multiple parties today have encouraged our young people to be Indonesia’s economy’s backbone in the future,”said Darwin Silalahi, President Director and Country Chairman PT Shell Indonesia.

Darwin also said that more young entrepreneurs were needed to strengthen the stability of national economy condition, on the face of free trade era in 2015. The contribution of micro-scale businesses in rescuing and recuperating Indonesia’s economy after crises is apparent. Through Shell LiveWIRE program, Shell wishes to extend positive contribution and to have a role in sustaining economic stability, by motivating young people to go forward with entrepreneurship and promoting it as alternative to already established careers.

Shell LiveWIRE program focuses on several aspects: Entrepreneurship, Business Situation and Future Planning. For Entrepreneurship, the indicators include: business ideas, innovation, purpose and personal motivation. Meanwhile, indicators for business situation include: operational performance such as efficiency, sales and marketing, finances, human resources, technology and intellectual rights. Lastly, future planning includes the following indicators: long-term objectives, strategic planning and opportunity for business development.

This year, Shell has received 241 applicants for Shell LiveWIRE program, who come from various regions in Indonesia from Jabodetabek, West Java, Central Java, East Java and Bali. Since being carried out initially in 2006, until 2011 a total of 2,645 people have participated in Shell LiveWIRE BSA program.

Ten winners of Shell LiveWIRE BSA 2011 will be entitled to Rp. 20 million prize money for each business, training program, business consultation and media publications. Aside from “Business Start-Up Awards”, Shell LiveWIRE also holds training program business consultation and business discussion to assist and to inspire young people to start their own business or to develop the business they have already started.

Until today, as part of Shell International social program, Shell LiveWIRE has been applied in 25 countries and has helped developing more than 2,800 start-up businesses, while at the same time creating work for 8,900 people. Since first initiated in 1982, the program has contributed to the lives of 1.3 million young people – developing ideas and businesses through the dissemination of information, advice and support.

Further information on Shell LiveWIRE BSA 2011 can be obtained through Shell LiveWIRE Indonesia website at www.livewire-indonesia.org or www.shell.com/indonesia.

For further information, photos or interview, please contact:

Sri Wahyu Endah
Media Relations Manager 
PT Shell Indonesia
Phone: +62 21 7592 4700
Fax: +62 21 7592 4679