What was once nothing more than barren, dry, and unproductive land in rural areas has now transformed into a source of livelihood, empowering more than 2,000 villagers across Indonesia. This remarkable change is driven by Syailendra Bumi Investama (Syailendra BI), a social enterprise producing essential oils and vegetable oils under the brand DDistillers.
Founded in 2014 by Eliest Listiani, Syailendra BI was born out of concern for the socio-economic conditions of communities in the remote areas of Brebes Regency, Central Java. Vast stretches of critical land lay abandoned, while farmers lived in poverty without sustainable sources of income.
“At first, we simply wanted to find an answer: what kind of crop could survive on dry land without water during the long dry season?” recalled Eliest.
Field research in 2015 provided the solution—citronella (lemongrass), one of the most resilient aromatic plants, capable of thriving in all seasons and revitalizing barren land. From there, community education began, teaching villagers how to cultivate essential oils sustainably while also transforming waste into value-added products through a zero-waste system.
A major leap came at the end of 2020, when Syailendra Bumi Investama became a foster partner of PT Pertamina (Persero) through the Micro and Small Business Funding Program, receiving IDR 100 million in capital. The funds were used to strengthen production, operations, and marketing. The impact was extraordinary—within a year, revenue surged to IDR 1.2 billion, then climbed to IDR 3.5 billion in 2021, and reached IDR 4.5 billion in 2022, officially making the company a registered taxable entrepreneur.
Today, Syailendra Bumi Investama consistently supplies essential oils to national exporters and the domestic aromatics industry. Beyond that, the enterprise has begun direct exports to France and Singapore, while expanding its reach to 12 other countries including Switzerland, Canada, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, India, South Korea, and Brazil.
Currently, Syailendra BI operates 200 distillation points across multiple provinces (except Papua), employs 12 permanent staff and one academic expert, and empowers around 400 distillers as well as more than 2,000 farmers nationwide through the “Paguyuban Emas Hijau” (Green Gold Community).
As part of its commitment to continuous growth and greater impact, in 2025 DDistillers is participating in the Pertamina UMK Academy 2025 and Pertamina SMEXPO Merah Putih, two of Pertamina’s strategic programs aimed at strengthening business capacity, marketing, and networking opportunities for supported MSMEs.
Fadjar Djoko Santoso, VP Corporate Communication of PT Pertamina (Persero), stated:
“Pertamina supports MSMEs like DDistillers that can turn challenges into opportunities while bringing real benefits to thousands of farming families in Indonesia. This is proof that strategic partnerships between SOEs and MSMEs can simultaneously drive economic growth and environmental preservation.”
The success of DDistillers aligns with the Prabowo–Gibran Government’s Asta Cita Point 3, which emphasizes “creating quality jobs, promoting entrepreneurship, developing creative industries, and continuing infrastructure development”. This vision is realized through the creation of thousands of productive rural jobs, the empowerment of local entrepreneurs, and the development of value-added products based on Indonesia’s natural wealth.
“For us, business is not just about profit—it’s about building hope. From land once considered worthless, we’ve proven that there is a greener, more prosperous future,” concluded Eliest.
As a leader in the energy transition, Pertamina remains committed to supporting Indonesia’s net zero emission 2060 target by continuously driving programs that directly contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All of these efforts are fully aligned with the implementation of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) principles across Pertamina’s business and operations.
Admin, A. (2025, August 14). Pertamina Supports MSME DDistillers, Transforming Critical Land into Jobs for Over 2,000 Villagers. id.alongwalker.co. https://id.alongwalker.co/z/110641.html
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