WEST SUMATRA – In the early morning, before 08:00 WIB, Yogi Aria Dinata arrives at Pilantrokopi Padang on Jalan Batang Kampar, Rimbo Kaluang, Padang. As a barista, his responsibilities include calibrating machines, ensuring all tools are ready for use, checking digital records, and arranging the facilities for customers. His enthusiasm is impressive; this young man from Nagari Sirukam, Solok, excels at extracting coffee beans to serve Pilantrokopi’s customers.
Once the pressure bar and boiler machines reach the specified settings, it signals that the coffee machine is ready. Yogi quickly wears his brown apron, tying each end into a cross knot. He begins preparing and serving orders to customers’ tables as needed.
While working with his colleagues, he occasionally enjoys a joke, though he is often interrupted by customers placing orders or the background call to prayer.
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Developed by Dompet Dhuafa, Pilantrokopi is a productive zakat program and a subsidiary of the Solok Sirukam Cooperative business unit. This initiative is a part of the philanthropreneur concept, merging professionally managed entrepreneurship with philanthropic funds. Established as part of an empowerment program for Solok Sirukam coffee farmers by Dompet Dhuafa since 2019, this coffee shop serves a higher purpose.
Yogi Aria is a benefit recipient of this philanthropreneur program. Trained by Dompet Dhuafa, he has become self-sufficient, helping to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.
His parents, coffee farmers in Solok Sirukam, have raised four generations of Sirukam children. Unfortunately, due to their challenging experiences as coffee farmers, they discouraged their children from following in their footsteps.
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“Don’t become farmers. Let the parents handle this. The children should pursue certain jobs,” Yogi recounts his parents’ advice.
As a result, none of Yogi’s three siblings are farmers, even though they own about 1 hectare of inherited coffee plantation in their hometown.
Nevertheless, Yogi is determined to uphold his family’s legacy. He aims to elevate the dignity of coffee farmers through the delightful brews served in coffee cups.
Initially, this young man, who graduated from school in 2021, had little knowledge about coffee. A year after his graduation, in 2022, he began assisting his father with coffee farming in Sirukam, sparking his interest in the coffee industry.
Living in a rural environment, Yogi and his family didn’t aspire to higher education. His primary focus was on how to work and earn money. With his burgeoning interest in coffee, Dompet Dhuafa Singgalang enabled him to further his skills.
Invited by Dompet Dhuafa to relocate to Padang for barista training, Yogi attended two coffee training sessions. These experiences boosted his confidence in preparing delicious coffee brews at Pilantrokopi. Since the opening of Pilantrokopi on September 18, 2023, Yogi has been adept at crafting espresso-based drinks and various manual coffee brewing methods.
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“Alhamdulillah, now I don’t need to rely on my parents for money. I have my own income and can save from my earnings,” he told Dompet Dhuafa on Thursday (12/10/2023).
Although being unable to pursue higher education, Yogi aspires to become a coffee entrepreneur who supports rural coffee farmers. He also has a keen interest in regional arts. If given the opportunity to study further, he wishes to delve deeper into arts and culture, particularly those of West Sumatra.
He recognizes the coffee business’s promising prospects and financial benefits. However, it saddens him that behind the grandeur of city cafes, small rural coffee farmers endure hardships.
He explains that rural coffee farmers mainly focus on maintaining plantations, harvesting, and then selling the beans to middlemen at low prices. The intervention of Dompet Dhuafa has enlightened farmers about the high value of coffee in the global market.
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“Farmers now understand how to produce quality coffee beans. They can identify various types and varieties of coffee beans and can differentiate the brews produced from each type,” he added.
For now, Yogi is dedicated to gaining more experience in the coffee industry, including learning how the coffee business operates in different locations. With God’s permission, once he has acquired enough knowledge, he plans to return to his father’s coffee plantation to develop it. His ambition extends beyond personal gain; he aims to benefit the entire Nagari Sirukam community. (Dompet Dhuafa/Muthohar)