Coordinating Minister: PNM Mekaar a Best Practice for Grassroots Women's Empowerment

Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar has expressed hope that the success of the Mekaar (Membina Ekonomi Keluarga Sejahtera) Programme can serve as a model to be replicated in various regions, strengthening economic independence down to the grassroots level. He noted that the programme, run by PNM, has mobilised 13 million women who have become the backbone of their family economies, working together to remain productive and cover household shortfalls through their own efforts.

According to Muhaimin Iskandar, over its 27 years of operation, PNM has demonstrated that community empowerment can be achieved through financing access combined with mentoring, thereby encouraging communities to become independent and productive economic actors. Currently, PNM Mekaar serves approximately 23.3 million clients across Indonesia, all of whom are underprivileged women. The programme is supported by more than 61,000 facilitators who assist clients in developing their businesses while instilling discipline and entrepreneurial independence. In Bali Province alone, PNM has mentored over 422,000 clients through 4,036 groups with the support of 296 facilitators.

Muhaimin Iskandar explained that a key strength of PNM Mekaar lies in fostering a spirit of mutual cooperation among its members. Through a group mechanism, clients strengthen and hold each other accountable, creating a culture of discipline in running their businesses. He described PNM as an extraordinary model for empowerment that can be duplicated in various locations and by different institutions. The minister emphasised the importance of this model because it reaches people who previously had no access to banking services, or the unbankable segment. Through PNM Mekaar, they gain access to business financing without collateral, with a weekly instalment scheme tailored to their business capacity. During his visit, Muhaimin Iskandar said he was impressed by the spirit of the clients in Bali, who remain disciplined in meeting their obligations while consistently developing their businesses. He stated that these women have proven that with opportunity, mentoring, and a strong work ethic, women can become a major force in the family economy, representing the face of community empowerment that the government intends to continue strengthening.