Microloan program

Microloan program

As an ex-expatriate of Jakarta I read The Jakarta Post
eagerly, one week late. How happy I am that you are finally on
the web.

Some time ago I read with great interest the article of May 14
World Bank to fight Indonesian poverty with new vigor by Mark
Baird, the new World Bank Indonesia country director. I highly
commend his humanitarian approach to the many problems of
implementing the basic wish of the World Bank to help the poor of
Indonesia.

Now that I can look at Indonesia from the outside, I would
like to make some suggestions. First, the people of Indonesia at
last have a small window of opportunity to escape from the
shackles of dictatorship and more especially paternalism. They
can begin to learn the democratic way of self-determination and
self-responsibility, as enjoyed by millions of people in nations
such as the U.S. and Australia. The people of Indonesia are full
of untapped energy and ability and have a basic courage and
strength of character that will see them through as soon as they
can live without fear of those above. They are sick of being
patronized and having others always "think for them" as if they
were backward children.

There are most definitely reasons for providing a social
safety net, which basically is a system of handouts of food or
money. If people are genuinely starving, there is no other
immediate solution. But let's think about those who are
unemployed and are in need but are not on the brink of
starvation.

Now, at last, they have a chance to hold their heads up and
learn to make decisions for themselves rather than blindly
following the dictates of their "superiors". Give them the
fishing pole, not the fish! World Bank, start a system of
microloans of say Rp 100,000 to Rp 500,000 especially to women so
that they can start small businesses of their own choosing. If
these loans are available to individuals in groups of say 10
women working together as a cooperative, the group will provide a
system of checks and balances to ensure that each person pulls
her weight. The logistics of organizing such a program may be
daunting but so is the distribution of food and money.The loans
would have to be repaid, which, in turn, would make more loans
available.

Continued handouts cause people to become lazy and greedy and
lose self-esteem and also endlessly soak up money. The rice you
have bought with money you have earned tastes better.

Good luck Indonesia. My heart is with you.

CHRISTINE BURNS

New Jersey, USA