Desa Sejahtera Astra Kemiren, Fostered by PT Astra International Tbk, Preserves Osing Culture to Drive Village Prosperity

Banyuwangi, Jawa Timur: The sound of wooden lesung drums fills the morning air in the yard of a traditional Osing house, welcoming visitors to Desa Sejahtera Astra Kemiren, Banyuwangi, East Java. Such scenes remain central to daily life, as the Osing people, Banyuwangi's indigenous community, continue to preserve their traditions and local wisdom. This heritage has become the foundation of the village's prosperity.

Residents of Desa Sejahtera Astra Kemiren uphold Osing culture through traditions such as the Barong Ider Bumi and Tumpeng Sewu ceremonies, the Gandrung dance, local cuisine, music, and distinctive architecture. These traditions define the village's identity and offer economic opportunities. Since 2024, Astra has supported this potential through the Desa Sejahtera Astra program, focusing on health, education, environment, and entrepreneurship. This approach ensures cultural preservation aligns with improved quality of life.

These initiatives have benefited approximately 300 residents, strengthening their role in the village's tourism economy. The village now offers 50 homestays with 92 rooms, 40 local businesses in culinary arts, handicrafts, and coffee, and 40 members of the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis) who manage tourism activities and preserve Osing culture. The average income of Pokdarwis members has increased by 33 percent, from IDR 1.5 million to IDR 2 million per month. This demonstrates that consistent cultural preservation can provide sustainable livelihoods and create new economic opportunities.

"Desa Sejahtera Astra Kemiren proves that cultural preservation and community development can move forward together. Through stronger programs in health, education, environment and entrepreneurship, Astra believes the Osing cultural heritage will not only endure but also deliver broader benefits for the community through improved quality of life, business opportunities and lasting prosperity," said Astra Chief of Corporate Affairs, Boy Kelana Soebroto.

Astra supports Desa Sejahtera Astra Kemiren across all community needs. In health, Astra has improved residents' quality of life by strengthening Posyandu health post services, providing basic health facilities, supporting maternal and child health, and delivering health education.

In education, Astra has enhanced early childhood education (PAUD) by providing learning materials and educational toys, supporting classroom activities, and introducing local culture to younger generations. This engagement helps ensure the continuity of Osing traditions.

With increased tourism, environmental management has become a key focus for the village. Residents receive guidance on managing organic and non-organic waste, converting livestock waste into organic fertilizer, developing biogas facilities, forming environmental awareness groups, and establishing waste and composting facilities.

In entrepreneurship, Astra supports the Kemiren Osing Traditional Tourism Village by strengthening tourism facilities, empowering local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), building the capacity of the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), developing homestays and community businesses, and promoting Osing cultural tourism as a key economic driver.

The community's ongoing cultural preservation and village development have earned national and international recognition. Since 2019, the village has received awards such as Wonderful Indonesia Impact, the Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI), and the ASEAN Tourism Award 2025. Internationally, Desa Sejahtera Astra Kemiren was selected for The Best Tourism Village Upgrade Program 2025, reinforcing its status as a sustainable, community-based cultural tourism destination.

In addition to the Desa Sejahtera Astra program, Astra, through Yayasan Astra-Yayasan Dharma Bhakti Astra, mentors a dragon fruit farming group in Desa Sumbermulyo, part of the Desa Sejahtera Astra Banyuwangi area. In partnership with the MSME Development Center (PPU), this mentorship strengthens the group's mindset and organizational structure, improves organic farming skills, enhances post-harvest quality to meet offtaker standards, and facilitates access to markets and financing. As a result, the farmers have earned Organic Farming certification, increased harvest volume from 316 tons in 2021 to 595 tons in 2025, and grown revenue from IDRn1.9 billion to IDR 11.9 billion. Their fresh and processed products now reach wider domestic markets and are exported to Singapore and Hong Kong. The dragon fruit is also processed into products such as Dragon Fruit Sale and dehydrated dragon fruit.

Astra's collaboration with local communities in developing villages, as demonstrated in Desa Sejahtera Astra Kemiren, reflects the company's commitment to prosper with the nation and support Indonesia's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

ALSO READ: Desa Sejahtera Astra Les Village Thrives Through Nature Conservation, Cultural Preservation, and Community Empowerment

 

For further information, please contact:
Windy Riswantyo
Head of Corporate Communications
PT Astra International Tbk
Phone. 021-508-43-888

 

About Astra:
Astra is one of Indonesia's largest public companies, comprising 322 subsidiaries, joint ventures, and associated entities, supported by more than 190,000 employees. The company's diversified business model creates synergies and opportunities across multiple industries, including Automotive, Financial Services, Heavy Equipment and Mining Solutions, and other sectors.
Astra has a sustainability framework that includes the Astra 2030 Sustainability Aspirations, which guide the Astra Group's transition toward becoming a more sustainable company by 2030 and beyond. Astra aspires to strengthen Indonesia's economic resilience in support of an inclusive and prosperous society.
Astra's sustainable social contributions are centered on developing and strengthening villages through the Desa Sejahtera Astra program, which has reached more than 1,500 Desa Sejahtera Astra sites across 35 provinces in Indonesia. The program covers four main areas, including health, education, environment, and entrepreneurship, supported by nine foundations that contribute to Indonesia's economic growth while advancing an inclusive and prosperous society.
In line with the Desa Sejahtera Astra program, the Semangat Astra Terpadu Untuk (SATU) Indonesia Awards was established to recognize young innovators as well as the best Desa Sejahtera Astra communities and village champions mentored by Astra. Since its launch in 2010, the SATU Indonesia Awards has honored 792 young Indonesians who actively collaborate with Desa Sejahtera Astra.
For more information, visit astra.co.id, and follow Astra's activities on Instagram @satu_indonesia, TikTok @satu_indonesia, YouTube SATU Indonesia, X (Twitter) @satu_indonesia, LinkedIn PT Astra International Tbk, and Facebook Semangat Astra Terpadu.