Young Entrepreneurs Are Peace Agents

A Letter from Farsijana Adeney-Risakotta, serving in Indonesia

Winter 2022

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Dear friends,

Cahyo, 28 years old, worked in downtown Yogyakarta at D’SANTOS Coffee & Idea from 2018–20 and gained experience in blending coffee. He felt his work experience equipped him with enough knowledge to start his own business in his village of Kebonharjo, approximately one hour by car from Yogyakarta. Views of terraced rice fields with flowing water ditches on the sides of the road make the drive very beautiful. His village sits on the hill of Menoreh, from which you can see the city of Yogyakarta. In the village center, close to the Javanese Christian Church, Cahyo’s parents helped him build a joglo, an open pavilion with a Javanese-style roof. The joglo is now the Terrace Café, so named because from here you can see the natural beauty of the Menoreh mountain. Established in 2021, the Terrace Café has become a meeting place for organizing coffee and cacao farmers from around the village of Kebonharjo.

Cahyo explained that he divides his working hours in this way, “I mix coffee at night, and I am with the farmers in their gardens during the day.” The coffee mixed at Terrace is produced from coffee beans processed by a farmer group called Satu Titik (English: One Dot). “Satu Titik is a place for coffee and cocoa farmers to learn from each other,” he said further. My conversation with Cahyo occurred when we came to conduct training related to strengthening culinary products sourced from members of the Griya Jati Rasa Consumer Cooperative in Kebonharjo village so that their products could get approval from the Indonesian Ministry of Health.

It is very interesting to see that a young person as a villager can gather a group together with members older than he is at his coffee shop to discuss business matters. The group’s discussions always produce good ideas for making coffee taste better or dark chocolate bars taste more delicious. His passion and way of working inspire the young people around him. “I did all of this from the heart, regardless of people and their greatness. We help each other so that what is in the garden can get added value when the processing is done properly. God has given me a way for what I can do here; I will follow that path. We religious people, Christians and Muslims, work together to optimize the potential that exists in our respective gardens,” said Cahyo.

The village of Kebonharjo will soon be transformed since a national road will soon be built through the village. This road will connect Yogyakarta International Airport, on the coast, to Borobudur Temple, a UNESCO world heritage site built in the eighth century and the largest Buddhist temple in the world. The Terrace Café is located directly on this road and can hope to receive guests from all over the world who intend to visit Borobudur Temple.

Cahyo is still struggling with the problem of middlemen who buy raw materials such as coffee and cocoa at low prices from farmers. “Now, slowly, farmers are starting to be confident that they can process their coffee into quality coffee beans that they can be market. We also started making chocolate bars,” explained Cahyo when I asked him to sit in the front to accompany me during the training. “I decided to become a member of the cooperative; this is a very important decision because we can honor and strengthen the quality of coffee products and chocolate bars.” Cahyo’s words were followed by sharing samples of his chocolate bars. “Wow, the taste of the chocolate is different. This chocolate bar has its own character with a strong cacao taste, which is very easy to distinguish from the chocolate bars prepared by other members of the Griya Jati Rasa Consumer Cooperative,” was my response to Cahyo.

Now coffee and chocolate bar products from the Satu Titik group are starting to be marketed in the online store of the Griya Jati Rasa Consumer Cooperative, the cooperative gallery and the gallery of Edge Resort Yogyakarta. They are also ready to be included in the products sold at Yogyakarta International Airport.

As the Word of God says, the lamp must be prepared before the bride arrives (Matthew 25:1-13). Griya Jati Rasa Consumer Cooperative is committed to offering guidance to the younger generation to adapt to the business opportunities provided by the government.

We would like to thank PC(USA) churches interested in supporting my ministry in strengthening youth leadership, either through formal education such as the education provided by Duta Wacana Christian University or through non-formal education such as the education that Cahyo is pioneering. The Lord Jesus welcomes children and youth to be a blessing to others.

Farsijana