Creative Entrepreneurship Skills Training for Disabled Communities through the Utilization of Organic Banana Stem Waste

Abstract

Banana frond waste in Cilacap Regency holds high economic potential; however, its effectiveness in fostering entrepreneurship and economic independence among the disabled community still faces significant challenges. This training serves as a stimulant to shift the participants' mindset from mere beneficiaries to independent economic actors through the exploration of organic material value-add. During its implementation, several technical obstacles affected business sustainability in the Industry 4.0 era. These include limited access to digital technology, the use of production tools that are not yet ergonomic for people with disabilities, and low online marketing literacy. Such constraints often hinder the disabled community's competitiveness in the broader market. Consequently, this activity designs an in-depth evaluation to provide appropriate solutions, such as modifying work tools and providing digital literacy mentoring. Post-training, participants demonstrated high motivation to independently produce banana frond crafts and explore creative market opportunities. The program has proven successful in enhancing technical skills while nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit as the foundation for economic independence in Cilacap. Nevertheless, operational sustainability still requires intensive mentoring to overcome barriers related to tool accessibility and technological adaptation. In conclusion, this training serves as a strategic medium for inclusive knowledge dissemination while accelerating the empowerment of the disabled community toward resilient and sustainable independence.