Across West and East Nusa Tenggara, women micro-entrepreneurs lead small farms, weaving groups, and home-based food businesses that sustain local communities. Yet climate change and limited access to finance continue to constrain their growth. Through the EmPower II Program, implemented by KUMPUL Impact under the joint initiative of UN Women and UNEP, these women are being equipped with knowledge and practical tools to build sustainable, low-carbon livelihoods.

In 2024, the Curriculum Workshop and Training of Trainers (ToT) marked a key milestone in translating field research into actionable training design. The sessions prepared facilitators, local partners, and institutional representatives to deliver learning programs that reflect the realities faced by ultra-micro and micro enterprises in both provinces.

Building the Curriculum

The curriculum design drew directly from the needs assessment conducted with 115 women entrepreneurs and 10 ecosystem stakeholders across Lombok and Kupang. The study highlighted persistent barriers and informed the structure of the EmPower training modules.

Key findings:

• Women lack access to credit due to collateral ownership under male family members.
• Loan repayment terms rarely align with seasonal income patterns.
• Financial literacy remains limited, and many hesitate to adopt new technologies without market certainty.

Based on these insights, the curriculum focuses on three main areas:

• Economic empowerment: business management, financial literacy, and access to inclusive financing.
• Low-carbon technology adoption: climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, and waste-to-product innovation.
• Inclusive leadership: communication, negotiation, and community collaboration skills.

The Training of Trainers (ToT)

The ToT sessions engaged local facilitators, PNM field officers, university lecturers, and women community leaders. The approach emphasized peer learning, group practice, and context-based instruction to ensure long-term relevance.

Core components of the ToT:

• Local trainers: drawn from PNM Account Officers, academic experts, and local women leaders who understand on-ground realities.
• Practical content: application of solar dryer domes, biogas systems, and circular waste management in small-scale industries.
• Cultural alignment: sessions scheduled around community activities and local customs to improve participation.
• Continuous mentorship: trainers will accompany women groups in their villages to ensure consistent learning and implementation.

This first phase prepared 20 local trainers who will later support around 400 ultra-micro women entrepreneurs across both provinces.

Linking Capacity with Access

The workshop emphasized that training must connect directly with financing and market access. Collaboration with multiple actors ensures the learning translates into tangible opportunities:

• Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM): provides microloans with reduced risk for women adopting green technologies.
• Bank Indonesia and local governments: support policy alignment and inclusive finance ecosystems.
• Local aggregators such as Pinalo and Timor Moringa: integrate trained entrepreneurs into existing value chains for sustainable growth.

This structure ensures that women trained under EmPower II gain not only new skills but also access to networks and markets that can sustain their businesses.

Moving Forward

In its next phase, EmPower II will expand the Training of Trainers model and strengthen value chain integration between farmers, aggregators, and financial institutions. KUMPUL and partners plan to:

• Continue on-site mentoring for trained facilitators.
• Develop additional modules on digital literacy and climate adaptation.
• Connect women entrepreneurs to new markets through local showcases and digital platforms.

Through this integrated approach, EmPower II builds a foundation where training, financing, and market access work together to support women-led enterprises in building climate resilience and sustainable local economies.

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