Press Releases Anak Muda Berkarya Scholarship Expands Access to Higher Education for Rural Youth

Ketapang, 13 February 2026 – For young people in rural Ketapang, the door to higher education is opening wider. Ten youths from villages surrounding the operational area of PT Bangun Nusa Mandiri (PT BNM), a subsidiary of Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food, are pursuing higher education through the Anak Muda Berkarya Scholarship Programme, which integrates educational support with sustained capacity development.

The programme is designed to support young people in continuing their education while building personal capacity and social awareness from an early stage. Since 2024, the Anak Muda Berkarya Scholarship Programme has provided not only financial assistance for education, but also structured mentoring for its beneficiaries. Through a range of capacity development activities and social engagement initiatives, the programme encourages them to remain connected to their home villages and contribute meaningfully to their surrounding communities.

One of the scholarship recipients, Petrus Audianto, has experienced first-hand the programme’s impact on his personal growth. According to Petrus, the mentoring he received has motivated him to continue learning and improving his academic performance, while also strengthening his self-confidence.

“After taking part in a capacity building session on public speaking, I felt a real improvement in my confidence and ability to communicate in front of an audience. The learning has been highly beneficial, both for my academic activities and when contributing to my village and community,” said Petrus.

The impact of the programme is also being felt at village level. The Head of Biku Sarana Village, Silun, shared that the Anak Muda Berkarya Scholarship Programme has helped broaden access to education for village children and opened up opportunities to strengthen the quality of human capital in the area.

“I’m proud and grateful for the scholarship programme from PT Bangun Nusa Mandiri, which has helped ease the financial burden on parents in supporting their children’s education. This programme brings hope for the future of the young generation in our village,” said Silun.

The Anak Muda Berkarya Scholarship Programme reaches young people from six villages across three sub districts namely Manis Mata, Jelai Hulu and Marau. Scholarship recipients are pursuing their studies at six different higher education institutions, both within and outside the region, across a diverse range of disciplines including midwifery, nursing, accountancy, education and law.

Since its implementation, the programme has enabled 15 young people to continue their studies at a higher level. It began with five recipients in its first year and increased to ten recipients in its second year. This growth reflects the widening access to higher education for rural youth and a sustained commitment to reaching more beneficiaries in the years ahead.

Unlike conventional scholarship schemes, the Anak Muda Berkarya Scholarship is designed as a long-term development process, integrating financial assistance for education with academic mentoring, personal capacity development and social assignments in the village. Following stages of socialisation, administrative screening, written tests and interviews, participants receive not only educational support but also structured, ongoing mentoring.

The programme includes annual personal development activities, online academic consultations and social assignments in their home villages as a tangible form of contribution to the community. As part of the programme series, the scholarship is awarded symbolically and followed by a personal development session involving the company, creating a shared moment to strengthen commitment to grow not only academically but also socially.

“The Anak Muda Berkarya Scholarship Programme represents the company’s long-term investment in human capital development in areas closest to our operations. Through this initiative, PT Bangun Nusa Mandiri provides not only financial support for education, but also nurtures the capacity, character and social awareness of recipients so that they can contribute to the development of their villages and surrounding communities in the future,” said Franky Hartono, Chief Financial Officer of PSM 7 Sinar Mas Agribusiness and Food.

For more information, please contact: communications@sinarmas-agri.com