Facing Life

Ina Yuyun is 25 years old, she has a seven year old daughter and has been married since she was 17. She is from Sade, a traditional Sasak village in Southern Lombok known for their weaving. As many other young teenagers from Sade, Ina Yuyun started coming to Kuta very young to sell the sarongs that her family would weave. This is how she learnt her English and developed her skills as a seller, which you would never imagine as she is a quite and apparently shy person. Here in Kuta she met her husband and got married.

8  months ago she started a new business: door to door clothes selling. She enjoys selling but was tired of working for tourists so she decided to target the local people. She now buys clothes in the wholesaler shops in Mataram city and sells them in the different villages around Kuta. She asked us for advice on how to improve her business. We started supervising her income and expenses figures, to help her understand it better, and realised that she was making more income than her husband, who worked for a Hotel.

Women from Sade selling sarongs in Kuta Beach

3 months ago the police came to her house and registered every corner, finding what they were looking for. Apparently her husband had got involved in some kind of drug dealing and is now awaiting sentencing for the time in prison.  So Ina Yuyun has been left alone to take care of the house and their girl. One week ago she took a 1.450.000Rp loan from the group. She said it was for her business. Today we found out that she has bought some bamboo and wood to build a little stall in the local market. She has decided to start selling in the market, as well as door to door, and is busy getting all ready before Ramadan starts: the perfect timing when every Muslim spends more money in presents for others.

Ina Yuyun as "accountant responsible" for the Savings and loans group

Again, we are proud of Ina Yuyun’s  strength and courage and wish her all the best with her new extended business.