PRR-PNM Task Force Develops Business Financing Scheme for Sumatra Survivors

The Sumatra Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force (Satgas PRR) is collaborating with PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) to prepare a business financing and empowerment model for disaster survivors in Agam Regency, West Sumatra. Agam Regency has been selected as a pilot project for developing a programme that integrates business financing support with community mentoring. Through this scheme, the government hopes to accelerate the economic recovery process. PNM has stated its commitment to supporting the economic recovery of disaster-affected communities by providing access to financing and business empowerment programmes. This collaboration is expected to accelerate the community’s economic independence and strengthen socio-economic resilience in disaster-affected areas. The Minister of Home Affairs and Chair of the PRR Task Force, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, received a report from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) team regarding the various steps that have been taken. During the mentoring conducted by BNPB together with PNM, the Agam Regency Government, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and related agencies, various stages of programme implementation were discussed, ranging from the preparation of a business cluster-based financing scheme, verification of 5,843 customers including 1,820 customers in Agam Regency, to the matching of beneficiary data. The meeting also discussed the progress of drafting a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between BNPB and PT PNM along with a cooperation agreement as the basis for programme implementation. As part of the mentoring, the BNPB team together with PNM also visited temporary housing in Palembayan and Tanjung Raya sub-districts. During the visit, the business financing and empowerment programme was socialised so that the community has wider access to capital and receives mentoring in developing their businesses. The team then directly reviewed a number of community-owned businesses to identify local economic development potential. The results of this identification will serve as the basis for preparing a financing scheme tailored to business characteristics, ensuring that the assistance provided can support business sustainability. Going forward, the PRR Task Force, through BNPB, will continue to oversee the preparation of the cooperation mechanism with PNM and the Agam Regency Government so that the programme can be implemented immediately. The results of this pilot project will subsequently be evaluated as a basis for developing similar models in other disaster-affected areas.