BANGKA -- PT TIMAH Tbk continues to promote community empowerment in its operational areas through various Social and Environmental Responsibility (TJSL) programs. One of these initiatives was a seafood processing training program focused on making ampiang and kericu, held for coastal residents at the Fishermen Housing Complex (Rusunawa) Environment II in Sungailiat, Bangka Regency, on Tuesday (June 23, 2026).
The training was attended by residents of Rusunawa Environment II, members of the Sungailiat Family Welfare Movement (PKK), and communities from Fishermen Environment I and II. The program featured PT TIMAH’s fostered partner, Getas Afifah, as the resource speaker, sharing knowledge and practical skills on transforming seafood products into value-added goods.
The event was attended by Acting Head of the Bangka Regency Fisheries Office, Vini Awilia; Sungailiat Village Head, Khoiri; and PT TIMAH’s Sub Division Head of Engineering & Operation Excellence, Tonggo P. Situmorang.
Acting Head of the Bangka Regency Fisheries Office, Vini Awilia, appreciated PT TIMAH’s consistent efforts in implementing community empowerment programs, particularly for coastal communities that are closely connected to the fisheries sector.
According to her, Bangka Regency has abundant marine resources, but their utilization can be further enhanced through processing methods that create greater economic value.
“Through this training, community members, especially women, can learn to develop seafood products with a longer shelf life and higher market value. This creates opportunities to increase household income while supporting the growth of the fisheries processing industry in Bangka Regency,” she said.
Vini expressed hope that similar programs would continue and expand, not only in production techniques but also in product packaging and marketing strategies, enabling local products to compete in broader markets.
Similarly, Sungailiat Village Head Khoiri stated that the training was highly relevant to the needs of coastal communities. He appreciated PT TIMAH for involving fishing communities as participants and for conducting the training close to the target community.
“This program is very beneficial in improving community skills for developing seafood-based businesses. We hope future training sessions will also cover packaging and marketing so that local products can become more competitive,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dina Maria, one of the managers of Getas Afifah, expressed her enthusiasm for sharing her experience and knowledge with the participants. During the training, participants were introduced to techniques for producing ampiang and kericu, which have the potential to become home-based business products.
According to Dina, the participants quickly understood the production process since most of them were already familiar with handling seafood in their daily lives.
“The participants were very enthusiastic, and the products they made turned out quite well. With continued practice and improvements in product quality, these products have strong potential to be marketed and become an additional source of family income,” she explained.
One participant, Siti Fatimah, a resident of Fishermen Environment II, also expressed her enthusiasm and appreciation for the training.
Siti said that previously she only processed seafood into pempek and crackers for family consumption. Through this training, she gained new knowledge about producing ampiang and kericu, which could potentially become commercial products.
“Alhamdulillah, we gained new knowledge that we can apply at home. In the future, it is possible that we can sell these products, either collectively or individually, to generate additional income for our families,” she said.
In addition to improving skills, the training also served as an opportunity to strengthen community ties and encourage residents to develop businesses based on local resources and potential. (*)
