Kartini Day

Ibu Kartini (photo from google)

"Ibu Kartini", how many Indonesians call her, is a national heroine recognized as the first women to fight for the rights of Indonesian women.

Last April 21st the Indonesians celebrated the "Kartini Day", a national holiday, time to remember this incredible and forward women, who was born in Dutch colonized Indonesia to a wealthy and well-educated family. 

She was lucky to attend school until 12, most women back then and even today did not, and learnt Dutch. Although following local traditions she then had to retire home to prepare for marriage, Kartini used her language skills and found several pen pals, many of them women in Holland who would share with her the European feminist thinking and magazines which inspired Kartini to work for the emancipation of women in her country, their struggles for freedom, autonomy and equality. She started a school for women before she died young after giving birth to her first and only child.

Today Indonesia has many "Kartini Schools" who honour the values and work of this inspirational Indonesian women.

From Bersahara we feel in debt to continue Kartini's work in her country.

Welcome Group Number 5!

"Harum Kemuning" Group

We are happy to announce that yesterday we finished the KAF Savings and Loans 3 day workshop with a new group of women in Aiklengis Desa, near Kuta village. They have named themselves "Harum Kemuning", something like "the smell of flowers".

The group is made out of 25 women, of a very low income level. Most of them work on the rice paddies or making mats out of bamboo. 30% of them (8 women) are illiterate and barely speak Bahasa indonesia. The group has an average age of 28 and 2.3 children.

Making Bamboo Mats

In line with their income, during their first KAF meeting they all saved 10.000Rp each, amounting a total of 250.000Rp. As usual in every first meeting, they decided not to take loans this first meeting, hoping they can save more next month and therefore access larger loans.

Day 1: analyzing income and expenses

Getting illiterate women to sign the rules

Listening carefully to the rules

Helping each other

Celebrating

SELAMAT DATANG TO BERSAHARA