In Indonesia, the expression gotong royong means offering assistance, sharing burdens and working with others. Chevron has a long history of embracing gotong royong. Over the years, the company and its employees have contributed in many ways to education and vocational training, health and human services, and small business and micro-enterprise development.
Education and Vocational Training
The first community engagement program offered by PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI) took place on October 8, 1957, when CPI donated a building to house the first state senior high school in Pekanbaru, Riau. It still is one of Pekanbaru's most prestigious schools.
Supporting Education and Disaster Relief
CPI supports the education of Sakai people, an indigenous tribe in Riau. CPI supplies books, provides incentives for teachers and offers educational grants to thousands of Sakai children.
CPI built and sponsors Riau Caltex Polytechnics, the province's first polytechnic university. Course curriculum matches the province's business needs and contributes to its economic growth. More than 600 students have graduated from the university. About 80 percent found jobs within three months of graduation.
In 2006, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake shook Yogyakarta and Central Java. We responded with the Chevron Yogyakarta Earthquake Recovery program. Using sustainable reconstruction, we helped rebuild the state-run Kalongan Elementary School in Sleman, Yogyakarta. We also provided technical assistance to Bero Elementary School No. 1 in Klaten, Central Java, during its reconstruction.
In 2008, we provided support for the victims of an earthquake in West Sumatra. Chevron and its employees and their families helped reconstruct the Aie Angek State Elementary School No. 6 in Tanah Datar Regency. The reconstruction of the school began in March 2008, and it was officially opened in August.
In West Java, Chevron's Darajat geothermal operations gave new computers to the Nurul Muttaqin Vocational High School in Garut. The computer laboratory benefits students who live in seven subdistricts. Previously, the children had to travel about 12 miles (20 km) to the district capital to use computers.
Small Business and Micro-Enterprise Development
Chevron supports programs that offer training in agriculture, fisheries and running a business from home. The newest of these is Local Business Development, which helps small companies and cooperatives in Sumatra and East Kalimantan. More than 3,400 small local businesses and cooperatives have participated in workshops. The business run through this program has grown from $1.3 million in 2001 to approximately $32.7 million in 2008.
In East Kalimantan, Chevron Indonesia Company partnered with the government-owned Permodalan Nasional Madani to create the Community Enterprise Development Program. This program strengthens community-based business groups, individuals and small shop owners. The program offers loans through a micro-finance institution, and it also provides business management training.
In Salak, West Java, Chevron helped establish a local farmers association in Pulosari village. The farmers turned a 161,500-square-foot (1,500-sq-m) section of idle land into a field producing abundant yields of papaya, tomatoes and chilies.
Chevron Aceh Recovery Initiative
Following the 2004 tsunami, which hit Indonesia particularly hard, Chevron responded to the needs of victims in Aceh and Nias with the Chevron Aceh Recovery Initiative.
One of the initiative's long-term programs focused on providing vocational skills and economic development opportunities for those who live in Aceh. More than 300 students completed their studies at Riau Caltex Polytechnics. A three-month program provided training in road and home construction, electrical installation, and computer applications. About 80 percent of the graduates are now employed in Aceh, and several have started their own businesses, employing others.
Chevron also launched a project to develop a polytechnic institution in Aceh, the Politeknik Aceh, in partnership with the government of Aceh, the Aceh-Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency, and the United States Agency for International Development. The goal is to contribute to long-term economic development in Aceh. Construction began in 2007, and the Politeknik Aceh officially opened on August 30, 2008.
The college offers courses in five disciplines that are essential to the industrial sector – electronics engineering, robotics, engineering, information technology and accounting. In its first academic year, the polytechnic accepted 240 students.
Chevron and our partner Swiss Contact also support the Business Startup Establishment project in Aceh that aims to start 1,200 micro-enterprises and small businesses, creating jobs for 6,000 people. The project is an integrated microcredit program that provides capital, training and business planning support for local entrepreneurs.
Updated: March 2009