In Indonesia, women face significant gaps in internet access compared to men, particularly in digital literacy, digital safety, and digital skills. These disparities also affect women’s economic participation, especially those engaged in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). 

Women largely own microenterprises, yet they often receive limited attention because of their perceived minimal impact on the local economy. Many women entrepreneurs face challenges in accessing capital and obtaining support for digital capacity development. Challenges include limited e-commerce marketing capacity, difficulties in creating appealing product images, and hurdles in adopting digital payment systems like QRIS. MSMEs are also vulnerable to digital fraud and loan scams, while many struggle with basic financial management. Compliance with business regulations adds to the burden, hindering growth and competitiveness, especially for women-led enterprises in a digital market.

In response to these challenges, Diva UMKM — short for “Dorong Inklusi dan Visibilitas UMKM Perempuan melalui Akses Digital”—emerges to promote the inclusion and visibility of women-led micro and small businesses through digital access. The program aims to strengthen capacity by improving skills and expanding business opportunities for 459 women entrepreneurs, including women with disabilities, in Surakarta City, Karanganyar Regency, and Klaten Regency through a series of training sessions focused on digitalizing business. 

Kota Kita acted as the lead implementer and worked closely with the Jalatera Foundation and Hetero Space to develop training modules, provide mentorship, and support various activities. These efforts were primarily funded by the ISOC Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting initiatives that improve the functionality and accessibility of the Internet for all. Furthermore, Kota Kita collaborated with disability organizations in Surakarta, Klaten, and Karanganyar to increase access for women entrepreneurs with disabilities. We also sought professionals to serve as direct mentors to participants.

Diva UMKM's learning journey starts with hands-on training (ToT), where 42 women entrepreneurs and 64 women entrepreneurs with disabilities participate in practical sessions guided by mentors and experts to strengthen digital and business skills. Following the training, the trained facilitators led peer-learning sessions for 389 women entrepreneurs, encouraging knowledge sharing and collaboration among participants. The next phase is group facilitation and support for all 495 women, with regular group meetings providing tailored guidance, allowing participants to apply lessons, share experiences, and receive ongoing support.

The program aimed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of digitalization in business. They learned about appealing branding and packaging for business, digital marketing, optimizing digital marketing, convincing customers through storytelling, exploring opportunities in content marketing, capturing business through photography and videography, and financial digitalization.

The name Diva reflects empowerment, strength, and excellence, and hopes to inspire women entrepreneurs to see themselves as capable leaders and innovators in their communities. Beyond providing digital and business training, the program fosters a sense of belonging, inclusion, and collaboration, connecting women from both urban and rural areas through shared learning spaces and accessible digital tools. More than a learning initiative, Diva UMKM has grown into a supportive community where women entrepreneurs share knowledge, exchange experiences, and grow together. Through this community, they learn to use digital platforms, tell their stories, expand their markets, and gain confidence in the digital economy.

Support women entrepreneurs on the Diva UMKM website, divaumkm.id.
Watch personal journeys and experiences of Diva participants on Proses Pembelajaran DIVA UMKM.
Furthermore, observe how Diva participants commemorate the Inclusive Economy on Hari Disabilitas International 2024: Ekonomi Inklusif, Kota Solo Berdaya and the Public Dissemination Event on Merangkum Perjalanan dan Pencapaian Diva UMKM.