Credit scheme aimed at women launched<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Manpower Bomer Pasaribu launched a
\ncredit program on Friday aimed specifically at empowering women.<\/p>\n
The program is called Grameen Bank and is adopted from the
\nsame program in Bangladesh. It is being conducted in coordination
\nwith the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) and the University
\nof Brawijaya (Unibraw) in Malang, East Java.<\/p>\n
The program provides interest-free micro credit or loans,
\nalong with vocational training.<\/p>\n
\"This program will hopefully reduce the number of unemployed
\nin this country. And, in the future, it will reduce the number of
\nfemale Indonesian foreign workers,\" Bomer said.<\/p>\n
Recent estimates put unemployment here at about 36 million,
\nwith more women than men jobless.<\/p>\n
\"I must admit there are some gender issues here. Many
\nemployers would rather hire men,\" Bomer said.<\/p>\n
The Grameen Bank program will be conducted in several regions
\nin two provinces, West Java and East Java. In each province the
\nprogram is projected to involve about 1,250 participants -- 99
\npercent of whom must be women -- who will be divided into 250
\ngroups.<\/p>\n
Each group will be mentored by a high school or university
\ngraduate.<\/p>\n
The state budget has allocated a total of Rp 1.78 billion
\n(US$198,000) for the project, some Rp 891 million (US$99,000) for
\neach province.<\/p>\n
Unibraw rector Eka A. Truna said that the university had
\nconducted similar programs over the past six years, coordinating
\nwith Rotary International and local banks.<\/p>\n
\"We trained around 200 housewives and gave them freedom to
\nchoose their own businesses to run,\" he said, adding that the
\ncapital was only Rp 60 million at that time.<\/p>\n
In Malang most entered the furniture-making business, while in
\nBlitar handicrafts is the business of choice. The participants
\nwere selected from the poorest residents.<\/p>\n
\"The program works well. We now have around 2,000 members. The
\ncredit payment is also no problem as the bad debt rate is only
\n0.5 percent. Compare that to our (national) bankers,\" Eka said.<\/p>\n
For this year's program, Eka said, the program will focus on
\npoor regions like Pacitan and Trenggalek.(09)<\/p>",
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