PNM Provides Evidence of Women's Empowerment Triggering Cascading Impact

Jakarta – The efforts by PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) to empower underprivileged women have generated impact not only on improving the economic circumstances of individual customers, but also creating broader social change at family and community levels.

Women’s empowerment in the ultra-micro sector is essentially a process of igniting small lanterns amid communities. These lanterns serve as symbols of hope and strength for women to improve the lives of their families.

Since its establishment in 1999, PNM has committed to providing financing access and mentoring for ultra-micro entrepreneurs, particularly underprivileged women. Through services such as PNM Mekaar and ULaMM, the company not only distributes business capital, but also provides training, mentoring and character development in business disciplines such as punctuality, honesty and hard work.

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

“The impact of empowerment is not merely measured by figures. Women who previously struggled merely to survive now begin to act as economic drivers for their families and even communities,” said PNM Company Secretary L. Dodot Patria Ary during PNM’s Iftar gathering with media entitled “Lanterns in Meaning”.

Through this empowerment process, PNM has witnessed the emergence of grassroots female leadership. In each Mekaar group, there is a group leader who drives other members. They learn to organise meetings, maintain group discipline, and ensure all members develop together. This role indirectly shapes female leadership at community level. Group leaders become not only drivers of small enterprises, but also role models who foster solidarity, mutual cooperation and economic independence in their surroundings.

This empowerment impact is strengthened by the emergence of the Ultra-Micro Holding ecosystem that integrates PNM, BRI and Pegadaian services. Through this ecosystem, customers have opportunities to upgrade their status through access to a broader range of financial services.