Garut. Astra on Thursday handed over keys to beneficiaries of its Livable Housing, locally called Rumah Layak Huni (RLH) program and launched EcoBiz Desa Sejahtera Astra Garut in Pakenjeng District, Garut Regency, West Java, as part of its efforts to improve community welfare and strengthen local economic empowerment.

The initiative reflects Astra’s commitment to delivering sustainable social contributions through the development of decent housing and the strengthening of entrepreneurship ecosystems in local communities.

The event was attended by R. Haryo Bekti Martoyoedo, Director of Housing and Settlement Financing System Development at the Housing and Settlement Areas Ministry; Garut Regent Abdusy Syakur Amin; West Java Housing and Settlement Agency Secretary Isma Andini Prihati; Handian Purwawangsa, Head of the Agromaritime Development and Innopreneurship Acceleration Institute at IPB University; Astra Chief of Corporate Affairs Boy Kelana Soebroto; and Rahmat Samulo, Chairman of Yayasan Astra–Yayasan Dharma Bhakti Astra.

During the event, Astra symbolically handed over house keys to Livable Housing beneficiaries and conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for additional homes to be built for members of Desa Sejahtera Astra in Garut.

“The Astra Livable Housing Program is part of Astra’s commitment to improving people’s quality of life by providing safer, healthier, and more comfortable homes. Astra hopes that every house built can become a place where dreams, aspirations, and togetherness can grow, while delivering tangible benefits for communities today and for Indonesia’s future,” said Astra Chief of Corporate Affairs Boy Kelana Soebroto.

In 2025, Astra committed to supporting the construction of Livable Housing for farmers involved in the Productive Carbon Forest program across Desa Sejahtera Astra areas. To date, 250 houses have been completed, comprising 165 units in Banyumas Regency and 85 units in Garut Regency.

The handover in Garut covered four villages: Telaga Wangi, Marga Mulya, Jayamekar, and Cikandang.

Astra EcoBiz Strengthens Garut’s Coffee Ecosystem
As part of its efforts to strengthen the local economic ecosystem, Astra also launched EcoBiz Desa Sejahtera Astra Garut, an integrated coffee processing hub connecting farmers, cooperatives, and buyers. The program involves around 3,000 farmers cultivating more than 1,500 hectares of land, with production capacity reaching hundreds of tons of green coffee beans.

EcoBiz Desa Sejahtera Astra Garut is expected to serve as a center for learning, educational tourism, and cross-sector collaboration.

Since 2020, Astra has implemented a coffee-based community development program in Desa Sejahtera Astra Garut in collaboration with IPB University.

The initiative has led to the establishment of two cooperatives -- Koperasi Produsen Kopi Mandalagiri and Koperasi Al-Bayyinah Sejahtera -- focusing on coffee development, forest farmer group empowerment, and agroforestry expansion through approximately 1,400 hectares of productive forest cultivation.

The Desa Sejahtera Astra program in Garut currently covers 10 assisted villages integrated with Astra’s Carbon Forest and Livable Housing programs. Through these initiatives, Astra has reached more than 4,000 beneficiaries, helped increase community income by as much as 328%, and created new employment opportunities.

Coffee products developed under the Desa Sejahtera Astra Garut program have also successfully entered European export markets.

Astra’s efforts to advance rural communities through the Livable Housing program and the development of EcoBiz Desa Sejahtera Astra Garut are aligned with the company’s aspiration to prosper together with the nation while supporting Indonesia’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).