The Endurance Team from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), through the 2026 Bakti Champions Movement program, has completed a series of community service activities. Initiated by ten recipients of the 2026 Bakti BCA Scholarship, the team was tasked with assisting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in strengthening business capacity and creating sustainable social impact.
Working with a tofu-producing MSME owned by Riyanto, an entrepreneur from Wirobrajan, the team successfully transformed tofu wastewater into liquid organic fertilizer and improved the business’s simple financial record-keeping system and promotional media in less than two months.
The assisted MSME was Riyanto’s tofu business, located in the Wirobrajan tofu production center in Yogyakarta. Established in 2018, the business is a family enterprise that has navigated various challenges over the years. One of the most significant challenges arose during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the business was forced to survive amid limited capital, conventional production equipment, and several operational constraints that affected its performance.
The team, consisting of Kevin Abigael Bakara, Almayla Taorayudha, Elga Manik, Maulana Faris Al Ghifari, Piang Amporn Yimyam, Jens Preston Tananta, Muhammad Rafif Hakim, Kartika Kirana Indrastuti, Nabilla Raihana Vildha, and Helena Natania Setyasari, implemented the program from May to June 2026. During this period, the team conducted field observations and discussions with its partner. Through this process, they identified several opportunities for business development.
“This program is focused on creating measurable impacts for the community, particularly for MSMEs,” said Kevin Abigael Bakara on Monday (Jun. 22).
One opportunity emerged from observations of tofu wastewater, which showed potential for a value-added product. As a concrete step, the team facilitated a collaboration between Riyanto’s tofu business and the Livestock Development Center of the UGM Faculty of Animal Science (Animal Science UGM). The partnership was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that includes a pilot project to utilize tofu wastewater as molasses for animal feed.
In addition, the team organized an outreach program on converting tofu wastewater into liquid organic fertilizer, featuring Viagian Pastawan, Ph.D., a lecturer at Animal Science UGM, as a resource person. The initiative aimed to provide MSME owners and community members with insights into alternative wastewater management approaches that generate circular benefits.
“Through this mentoring program, we hope MSMEs can grow more independently and sustainably while maximizing their potential to create added value for their businesses,” said Kevin, the team leader.
In branding and marketing, the team helped the business’s identity by developing promotional materials and optimizing digital platforms to reach a broader audience. In financial management, the team created a simple Microsoft Excel-based bookkeeping system to encourage the separation of business and personal finances, thereby improving business professionalism. The system includes daily income and expense records, sales price calculations, accounts receivable tracking, and periodic profit reports.
The team hopes the program will serve as an initial step toward business transformation that not only increases productivity and profitability but also creates new value from previously underutilized resources.
Through collaboration among students, academics, and MSME owners, UGM’s Endurance Team contributes to innovative, sustainable, and community-oriented business practices.
Author: Ika Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Jasmine Ferdian
Photo: Endurance Team