Last month, dozens of rural women from Banjarnegara, Batang and Pekalongan Regencies – the main tea producing areas in Central Java, gathered in Pekalongan Regency. They are housewives and tea farmers, but this time they took the time to attend women's economic empowerment training organized by Business Watch Indonesia and Paguyuban Tani Lestari. This activity is part of the Reclaim Sustainability program in Indonesia.

In this activity, the participants received training on the Tea nDeso micropreneur marketing model. Being a micropreneur is an alternative solution to limited job opportunities in rural areas, especially for women. This marketing model used by Teh nDeso opens opportunities for rural women to generate additional income, because they are not bound by certain work times so that it fits the current conditions and capacities of rural women.

This training is motivated by the welfare conditions and job opportunities of rural women, including in tea-producing areas, which are still relatively limited. A number of participants stated that their main income is still below their current needs, let alone to fulfil their dreams.                                                                      

A number of villages in Indonesia still hold a patriarchal culture, where women are expected to stay at home and take care of the household. Whereas some conditions will require them to be economically independent and able to support their families, for example if their husband or head of household is fallen ill, or household income is too low. Meanwhile, with low education and limited experience and skills, it is difficult for women to participate in formal job.