ARUN Newsletter – Issue 12

1. High School Intern Hana Suzuki’s Recommendation: Krealogi & Du Anyam

Hello everyone! I’m Hana Suzuki, a high school intern at ARUN. Have you ever wondered where, how, and for what purpose the bags and accessories you use every day were made? Today, I’d like to introduce Du Anyam, an Indonesian enterprise with deep ties to ARUN, and Krealogi, a digital platform born directly from on-the-ground challenges.

What is Du Anyam?

Du Anyam is a social enterprise that manufactures and sells handcrafted goods domestically and internationally to improve living standards, elevate social status, and promote economic independence for women in rural Indonesia. To date, it has supported over 1,600 women across more than 54 villages, primarily in rural areas far from the capital city of Jakarta.

Handicrafts to Protect Mothers and Children

Du Anyam was founded in 2014 to address the underlying economic issues driving high rates of maternal and child malnutrition on Flores Island, located roughly 1,600 km from Jakarta. Because agriculture—the backbone of daily life there—is heavily dependent on seasons and weather, securing a reliable income is difficult. Du Anyam was created to provide a steady, year-round source of income unaffected by seasonal shifts. The name Du Anyam combines Dua ("Mother") and Anyam ("Weaving"), reflecting that it is far more than a traditional craft brand—it is a project designed to protect women and children.

↓ Women weaving traditional baskets

1. From Supporting Artisans to Launching the "Krealogi" Mobile App

   While supporting residents in remote areas through handicraft production, Du Anyam encountered a common obstacle facing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia's rural regions: scaling up. Many rural artisans lack formal business management training, making it difficult to run order tracking, inventory management, and operational systems effectively.

   To overcome this barrier and expand their impact, Du Anyam launched Krealogi. Guided by the vision "Empower others. Grow together," Krealogi is a digital platform created to improve the operating environment for micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs across Indonesia, especially in remote areas. While SMEs account for roughly 97% of domestic employment in Indonesia, most are micro-enterprises, and about half still operate informally. A lack of structured business systems, limited access to high-quality talent and information, and a lack of networking opportunities pose major barriers to growth.

   Empowering Rural Artisans to Become Entrepreneurs

   At the core of Krealogi is a business management app. By streamlining order logging, production planning, inventory tracking, and financial reporting into a single application, it brings visibility to the supply chain and provides the operational framework SMEs previously lacked. Beyond the app, Krealogi offers comprehensive empowerment programs, including business diagnostic support, digital skills training, mentoring, and market access initiatives for businesses that successfully digitize.

   Social Impact Generated by Krealogi

   Through its platform and programs, Krealogi has driven significant social impact: supporting the digitization of over 24,000 MSMEs, empowering more than 6,500 women entrepreneurs through training, and offering capacity-building programs for youth and people with disabilities. In 2024, Krealogi gained widespread recognition, winning the Best SME Award at the UN Women WEPs (Women’s Empowerment Principles) Indonesia Awards.

   Our Ongoing Journey with ARUN

   Du Anyam was the grand prize winner of ARUN’s CSI Challenge 3. Despite severe logistical disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, they continued to evolve, beginning development of Krealogi in 2021. Today, ARUN’s direct investment is focused on this evolved digital platform.

   However, this doesn't mean our ties to Du Anyam’s craft origins have faded. We continue to walk alongside them—incorporating Du Anyam's traditional handicrafts into gifts for ARUN’s crowdfunding campaigns—adapting our partnership as both organizations grow.

   In Closing

   Behind an item bought simply because it looks cute lies a story of women gaining independence across the ocean, a brighter future for children, and innovative digital solutions making it all possible. Simply seeking out the stories behind the things we buy can shift our perspective, leading to meaningful support and contributions.

   Why not join us in supporting Du Anyam and Krealogi as they flexibly adapt to changing times and challenges, continuing to empower local communities?

↓ Du Anyam woven basket products (right)

2. [Activity Report] Behind-the-Scenes Report on the Regular Meeting with the Representative of Krealogi (by Riku Sato)

Hello, everyone. I’m Riku Sato from the ARUN Intern Team. In this post, I’ll give you a behind-the-scenes look at ARUN’s “Investment Team.”

When you hear the word “investment,” you might think, “That sounds a little complicated…” or “Is the atmosphere going to be stiff?” However, the actual meetings were incredibly warm and full of enthusiasm. I’ll share plenty of details—from interns’ experiences and hot topics within the Investment Team to what the Investment Team means to ARUN.

**About Krealogi**

Krealogi was founded in 2021 after developing the “Krealogi” app, which manages everything from inventory to logistics for small and micro-enterprises. As the app has gained popularity, the company has expanded its services to include training programs for sales channel development and acting as an intermediary with financial institutions to help businesses secure funding.

An Intern’s First Impressions

When I attended my first investment team meeting, I was honestly filled with anxiety, thinking, “What if I can’t keep up because it’s all technical jargon…?” However, the meeting had a friendly atmosphere from start to finish, and they made a point of breaking the ice with light small talk at the beginning. The pro bono members—all working professionals—were very approachable and actively asked questions even of an intern like me, who still had limited knowledge. Furthermore, after the meeting, they took the time to explain the “background” and “current situation” in simple, easy-to-understand terms.

“How am I supposed to interact with these pro bono professionals…?” That nervousness I felt before participating has completely vanished…

The “Hot Topic” in the Investment Team Right Now

At the meeting I attended, the investment team was discussing the following topics with Ayu and Hana, the representatives of Krealogi.

Gathering Insights on the Impact of the Weak Indonesian Rupiah and Other Factors

They conducted detailed interviews on the outlook for training program orders, current cash flow, and the impact of the war in the Middle East and the weak Indonesian rupiah, aiming to gain a thorough understanding of the investee company and the business environment in Indonesia.

Initiatives for Business “Sustainability” and “Ecology”

Krealogi’s training programs go beyond mere business expansion to incorporate environmentally conscious perspectives, such as the green economy and blue economy. Targeting 400 to 450 women-led companies, the training focuses on promoting the adoption of eco-enzymes (eco-enzyme solutions), energy efficiency, and renewable energy to build sustainable business systems that reduce CO2 emissions.

Project to Protect the Marine Environment Using Seaweed

We are currently advancing this project in collaboration with universities in Indonesia and the United States. Key initiatives include conducting a survey of the seaweed value chain in East Nusa Tenggara Province and hosting a multi-stakeholder forum on it.

Krealogi’s Core Business: Women’s Empowerment Training

What Does the “Investment Team” Mean to ARUN?

At ARUN, the investment team is not merely a “department that manages funds.” The investment team serves as the voice of the “passion” held by everyone who supports and donates to ARUN. That is precisely why it plays a crucial role in using a keen eye to determine whether a business truly contributes to solving social issues.

At times, a gap may arise between the social impact ARUN aims to achieve and the investee's hopes or current circumstances. Even in such situations, the investment team refuses to compromise and continues to engage in repeated dialogue. I believe that this “commitment to dialogue”—holding numerous meetings to reach a conclusion that satisfies both parties—is the greatest strength of the ARUN investment team.

In Closing

ARUN’s investment team is made up of passionate individuals who carry the “aspirations” of our donors, engage sincerely with the people at our portfolio companies, and actively communicate with us, student interns. They transform our donors' aspirations into the power to change society. I hope you’ve been able to sense, even just a little, the passion of this investment team. ARUN will continue to devote itself wholeheartedly to “social investment that connects people.” Please stay tuned for our future activities and new challenges!

３．【Activity Report】Q&A with the Investment Team at the ARUN Monthly Meeting for New Members (Naoko Terada)

ARUN’s monthly meeting is held on the second Saturday of every month from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. The meeting is held in a hybrid format, allowing members to participate either online or in person. All ARUN members are welcome to attend.

The main topic of the August monthly meeting was an update from the Investment Team on the organizations in which ARUN has invested. Many new members also participated in this meeting, and I felt that there were particularly many questions and discussions about Do Anhyam and Kreaogi.

Below are some of the questions and answers exchanged between the participants and members of the Investment Team.

Question: What would Do Anhyam and Krealogi like ARUN to do for them?

Answer: When Do Anhyam developed a new app called Krealogi and pivoted its business to adapt to changing market and on-the-ground conditions, the company was in a very difficult situation and was at risk of going out of business. At that time, ARUN provided support, such as helping the accounting team, in order to strengthen the team supporting the company’s representative.

I don't think there was a great deal that ARUN could do at the time, but I believe that the trust and cooperative relationship we have today has continued because ARUN did everything it could to support them then. To provide meaningful hands-on support, we need everyone’s help, so we hope you will continue to support us.

Question: What factors did you consider when deciding to invest?

Answer: Since the company was the grand-prize winner of the 3rd CSI Challenge, we prioritized it for due diligence, including detailed research and discussions regarding the potential investment. We then made our investment decision based on the potential impact on women’s empowerment, the company’s development potential, and its prospects for future economic growth.

Since our investees are seed-stage companies, ARUN’s goal is to support their future growth while working together to address social issues. Ayu, the representative of Krealogi, is very cooperative and a strong, determined entrepreneur. We also take qualities like these into consideration when conducting due diligence and selecting our investees.

ARUN began investing in Do Anhyam in 2021. Do Anhyam later developed Krealogi, a marketing app. Krealogi was subsequently spun off into a separate company, and ARUN’s investment was transferred to Krealogi.

Since then, Krealogi’s app business has expanded into training programs and is contributing to the empowerment of women in Indonesia. Although progress has been gradual, the business is now gaining momentum.

For entrepreneurs, pivoting may be essential to sustaining and growing a business. However, the challenges that Do Anhyam and Krealogi have overcome have always been driven by the goal of expanding their businesses to improve the lives and well-being of women across Indonesia's islands.

Editor’s Note:

While I was writing this article, a major earthquake struck Flores Island on the morning of August 15. Flores Island is where Krealogi and Do Anhyam are based. The earthquake was reported to have a magnitude of 7.7.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Krealogi representatives Ayu and Hana joined the regular meeting on August 19. We were relieved to hear that the company’s employees and their families were safe. We also learned that companies currently in discussions with Krealogi about potential partnerships have been very supportive. For now, the team is focusing on assessing the extent of the damage. At the same time, some people are still living in evacuation shelters.

If you would like to support them, please consider sending a message of encouragement using the form (button) below. We will share your messages with Ayu, Krealogi’s representative.

Furthermore, just before this newsletter was published, a landslide occurred in Nepal on the morning of August 26. The Himalayan region is home to many of the entrepreneurs who have applied to the ARUN CSI Challenge. Although there may be only a little we can do, we hope to think together with all of you about how we can help and turn those ideas into action.

We sincerely hope everyone stays safe and finds peace and comfort in their daily lives.