Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s women’s empowerment minister said Red and White Village Cooperatives are central to strengthening family resilience, describing them as engines of rural growth that expand access to education and protection services.“Red and White Village Cooperatives are not merely economic institutions, but strategic tools to strengthen family resilience, broaden access to education and bring protection services closer to communities,” Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Arifah Fauzi said in a statement Saturday.She spoke during a dialogue with residents at a Red and White Village Cooperative in Padang, West Sumatra, as part of a working visit to the province.Fauzi said the government is encouraging families to take part in local economic activities, from growing food crops in home yards to developing small-scale livestock businesses.She said products generated by residents are expected to be absorbed by cooperatives or integrated business units, creating a sustainable village-based economic ecosystem.By aligning village economic programs with improved access to education, preventive health services and adaptive parenting support, the government aims to build communities that are both economically and socially resilient, she said.During the visit, Fauzi also inspected the Minang Bangkit Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Clinic, which was set up to accelerate post-disaster recovery and strengthen small businesses in West Sumatra.The clinic offers business mentoring, access to financing, management consultations, and support for marketing and production to micro, small and medium enterprises affected by disasters.She said the goal is not only to help entrepreneurs recover losses but also to enable them to upgrade their operations in a sustainable way.Fauzi stressed that strengthening small businesses is closely linked to women’s empowerment and child protection, noting that many rural entrepreneurs are women who support their families’ incomes.“When women’s businesses grow and family income becomes stable, the quality of childcare improves, children’s education is safeguarded and the risk of social vulnerability declines,” she said.