IPB University Students Encourage The Yatim Village Community MSMEs to Move Up a Class Through Digital Marketing
Even though technology and digital platforms are still developing, in reality there are still many community businesses that have not optimally utilized them as a means of marketing.
To address this challenge, students from the Department of Management at IPB University launched the Grow Your Business program to strengthen the understanding of digital marketing among resilient mothers and high school students under the guidance of The Yatim Village in Bogor City.
The program, which runs from August to December 2025, is designed as practical digital entrepreneurship mentoring, targeting two main groups: resilient mothers who manage community business units and high school students who are eager to learn but need business guidance relevant to the needs of the times.
Nationally, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play a strategic role, with more than 64 million units contributing around 60 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) and absorbing up to 97 percent of the workforce. On the other hand, the opportunities for digital-based marketing are enormous. However, this potential has not been fully utilized by communities such as The Yatim Village.
“Through Grow Your Business, we provide step by step training tailored to the needs of participants,” said Mutiara Rachmina Indriani, one of the representatives of IPB University students.
The material covers the creation and management of TikTok, Shopee, Tokopedia, and WhatsApp Business accounts, the use of catalog features and content performance analysis, and techniques for optimizing promotional videos and visual marketing.
The impact of the program is evident among the resilient mothers. Several participants have started managing their business accounts independently, with some even gaining more than 5.000 followers on TikTok, participating in TikTok Affiliate, and marketing products on Shopee and Tokopedia. A number of promotional videos have also exceeded 1.000 views, increasing the visibility of their businesses in the digital realm.
For the high school youth group, the program gave rise to the Waroeng Santri initiative as a platform for entrepreneurial practice. The teenagers conducted direct sales around the Bogor Botanical Gardens and created creative products such as snack towers and snack buckets as a means of learning to read market trends.
“This program is a concrete learning space. Participants not only understand the theory, but also directly practice digital marketing in the context of their business,” said Mutiara.
Throughout the program, IPB University students provided intensive guidance through content creation practices, product upload assistance, and digital branding strategy reinforcement. The process was carried out in stages so that the skills acquired could be applied sustainably.
“Hopefully, this program will not only expand the community’s access to digital marketing but also strengthen economic independence based on learning,” concluded Mutiara. (*/Rz) (IAAS/KQA)
