PNM Mekaar Women's Empowerment Programme Creates Cascading Economic Impact

Efforts to empower underprivileged women undertaken by PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) have been assessed as capable of creating cascading impacts that not only increase the economy of individual customers but also bring about social change within families and communities.

The programme forms part of efforts to strengthen the ultra-micro business sector in Indonesia.

Since its establishment in 1999, PNM has committed to providing financing access alongside mentorship to ultra-micro business operators, particularly underprivileged women. Through services such as PNM Mekaar and ULaMM, the company not only distributes business capital but also provides training, mentorship, and character building in business practices such as discipline, honesty, and hard work.

To date, the Mekaar programme has reached more than 22.9 million customers organised in approximately 909,000 women’s groups throughout Indonesia. This service has been present in 36 provinces, 451 regencies and municipalities, and 6,165 subdistricts, making PNM one of the largest drivers of financial inclusion in the ultra-micro segment.

PNM Company Secretary, L. Dodot Patria Ary, stated that the impact of women’s empowerment cannot be measured solely by economic growth figures. According to him, many women who previously struggled merely to survive are now beginning to serve as drivers of their family’s and even their community’s economy.

“The impact of empowerment is not solely measured by figures. Women who previously struggled merely to survive are now beginning to serve as drivers of their family’s and even their community’s economy,” said Dodot at PNM’s iftar event with the media titled Lentera dalam Makna (Light in Meaning) in Jakarta on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.

In this empowerment process, PNM has also witnessed the emergence of grassroots women’s leadership. In each Mekaar group, there is a group chairwoman who serves as a driver for other members. They learn to organise meetings, maintain group discipline, and ensure that all members can develop together.

This role indirectly shapes women’s leadership at community level. Group chairwomen not only become drivers of small businesses but also role models who foster solidarity, mutual cooperation, and economic independence in their surroundings.

This empowerment impact is further strengthened through the Ultra Micro Holding ecosystem, which integrates services from Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Pegadaian, and PNM. Through this integration, customers have the opportunity to increase business capacity and obtain access to a wider range of financial services.

Dodot emphasised that women’s empowerment has cascading effects far beyond individual economic improvement. When a mother gains access to financing and mentorship, the changes that occur extend beyond the business being run to the quality of family life, children’s education, and the economic dynamics of the surrounding environment.

PNM believes women are one of the key factors in grassroots economic development. When women are empowered, they not only strengthen their family’s economic resilience but also build strong networks of social solidarity within society.

Through millions of female Mekaar customers, this spirit of empowerment continues to burn in villages across various regions of Indonesia. These small lights kindled together are believed to bring about major changes for the future of families and communities.