The Faculty of Social Sciences and Political Science (Fisipol) at the State University of Surabaya (Unesa) has recently completed an international community service program targeting Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. This initiative, titled "Strengthening the Economy of PMI through the Side-Hustle Program", is a strategic collaboration between Unesa's Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of State Administration programs, and the Special Branch Board of Aisyiyah (PCIA) in Hong Kong.
The head of the service team, Suci Megawati, highlighted the urgency of equipping migrant workers with new skills. According to her, many migrant workers still need alternative sources of income and digital entrepreneurship capacity as an economic safety net when their employment contracts abroad expire. This program is expected to serve as a stepping stone for the workers to build independent businesses upon arriving back in Indonesia.
During the training, participants were invited to explore the economic potential of popular social media platforms, especially TikTok. The materials provided covered the operational technicalities of TikTok Shop, affiliate programs, and career prospects as digital content consultants or managers. The lecturer team also assisted participants in designing authentic content strategies to easily reach their target market.
The Coordinator of the Bachelor of State Administration Program, Eva Hany Fanida, emphasized that this training curriculum is designed to be relevant to current digital economic dynamics. This synergy was also cemented through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the university and the Aisyiyah organization in Hong Kong to ensure the future sustainability of this empowerment program.
The Chair of PCIA Hong Kong, Ebta Dwi Anggraini, enthusiastically welcomed this collaboration. She even shared her personal testimony regarding the use of social media to earn extra income. This partnership not only provides practical education but is also a concrete step by Unesa in supporting the achievement of the eighth point of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely economic growth and the provision of decent work for all.
