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