One year of Savings and Loans

    

 

We are very happy to celebrate ONE YEAR since we started the first Savings and Loans group in the Kuta Lombok area, last October 3rd 2011. Since then we have seen how the women slowly progressed in running their own groups and have voluntarily initiated a word of mouth promotion of the methodology, based on their personal experience, bringing more women of different villages on board!

To date we have started a total of 7 Savings and Loans groups in Kuta Lombok area with a total of around 150 women who have saved almost 28,400,000Rp (around 2,840US$) altogether, and given over 60,000,000Rp (6,000US$) in loans, more than twice  the amount saved. Additionally, they have already gained a total of almost 4,000,000Rp (400US$) in interests, which will be shared among all the women group by group and according to the amount of savings:  

             

Ujung Group (30 members) - Oct. 2011

Kuta Pakan Group (25 members) - Nov. 2011

Baturiti Group (24 members) - Dec. 2011

Bangkang Group (18 members)  - Mar. 2012

Aiklengis Group (26 members) - Apr. 2012

Makar Indah + Bunlesung (14 members) - Aug. 2012

Banyu Urip (16 members) - July 2012

             

-     Loans are mainly being used to:

i)              Invest in capital money for small businesses already available (like fish selling, small food stalls, growing chickens, renovations in shop, etc).

ii)             Pay for school and/or University expenses.

iii)           Start new businesses and to pay for medical expenses.

The methodology has already allowed for the women to borrow around twice the money saved, confirming the increased power of the group vs. the individual. Except for isolated cases, we are very surprised to see the level of commitment, trust and responsibility in all groups. Also, we are happy to see how the oldest groups with more than 6 months experience with the methodology are already flying solo with a minimum supervision needed. Great news in order to achieve our objective of Self-Sustainability!

We are currently in the process of analyzing the impact of the KAF methodology in the lives of these women 1 year after, using qualitative research methodologies, like FGD's (Focus Groups Discussions) and In-Depth Interviews. Our team member, Karolina Jackson will be in charge supported by the University of Stockholm. This will provide us with better understanding on the positives and negatives of KAF, the modifications required, the impact in the lives of the women (individually, in their family and in their community), and how to proceed in the future to ensure sustainability.

Bersahara team is very happy with the results achieved to date, very proud of the involvement and enthusiasm shown by the women and their commitment to lead their own empowerment process and support each other. 

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL AND SELAMAT SIMPAN PINJAM!

TO GIVE

“Women are the ones who make the world go round… simply because we GIVE”. On her farewell party from her 3 month volunteer stay in Lombok, a very touched Babette summarized her work experience with the women in Lombok with this quote and tears in her eyes.

Babette, half Spanish half French, landed in Lombok last July 9th with her luggage full of samples, ideas and enthusiasm. Her challenge was big: help some of the women from the savings and loans groups to start a little sewing/fabric business that contributed to their process of life improvement and personal empowerment. With an old donated sewing machine and oxidized needles as only tools, in only 3 weeks she had already managed to organize the groups, identify suppliers, negotiate prices for raw material, start a regular 3 day/week class and work schedule and finish the first bag samples. AMAZING! Not even the women themselves could believe what they had done...

Babette with Ayong during first samples training

 

 

                                                Bersahara products from Women group in Ujung on sale at market

With no knowledge of the bahasa Indonesian or Sasak languages and using local traditional techniques and fabrics as a base, in the last 3 months Babette has managed to work with the women day after day, rain or shine, leading them through a personal learning process that has enabled them to make their own production and believe that they can actually have a sewing/fabric business. 

In only 3 months, the women have managed to learn 10 different designs, learn how to make more than 15 different bags and have their first market with sales of 3,500,000Rp (around 350US$). For perspective, this is the equivalent of a 3-4 month salary in Lombok. Moreover, with the support of Ellen, the women have been trained on a business model that will enable them to slowly take over and manage their own business and hopefully continue growing in the future. On the road to empowerment and sustainability! We are so proud of the women and so lucky to have had Babette with us!

Farewell lunch for Babette and her "Ibus Ibus"

Babette is right when she says that women give: they give life and birth, they give shelter, they give food, they give love and support… they GIVE. And this is exactly what Babette has done to the 6 women in Ujung village: she has given them knowledge, technical skills, designs, support, enthusiasm and her hard work…but above all she has given them LOVE and the HOPE for a better future as more empowered women. They have been lucky to join a 3 months training  with an amazing women.

Ayong Rossari, Warida, Erlina, Saibi, Yumaini and Ina Ripail mention you EVERYDAY and will never forget you. Neither will the Bersahara team.

We wish you all the best and hope to see you again soon!
ADIOS GUAPA.... BONART!!!!

Makar Indah

Women from Makar Indah Group at Kadus House

Our group number 7, originally started in Bunlesung village, has migrated to the nearby village of Makar Indah, so the women in this village can also be part of the savings and loans group. During the October monthly meeting they expressed their will to become 2 groups as soon as they have enough members in both villages. So maybe soon there will be still one more group. Still growing!

Bersahara First Handicraft Market

Women from Ujung sewing group during the market

Last September 22nd and 23rd we held the first Handicraft Market with all the bags that the women have learnt to make with Babette. Market was held at Solah Beach and Bar restaurant in Kuta Lombok.

For two days the women had the opportunity to see for themselves the interest people showed, not only in the handicrafts but, also in themselves and their little sewing business. It was good for them to realize the effort it takes to sell and the importance of explaining the nature of the project, the nature of the fabrics and their handmade work.

All products are hand made using locally hand woven fabrics (like Ikats from Sumbawa and Java and Sabuk and Songket from Lombok), with inspiration from modern designs introduced by our volunteer and designer Babette. The women started their training the second week of July, some of them with a very basic knowledge of machine and hand sewing as well as embroidery. Babette has taught them about designing, work processes and organization, cleanliness, concentration and patience. See for yourself the results in only 2 months!

 

 

Although it was a bit intimidating for them at first, since they had never been exposed to so many foreigners who wanted to meet them and talk with them, they managed to use their very basic knowledge of english and their spontaneity to make a 3,500,000Rp sales (around 350US$). This is a great achievement for them and has encouraged them to continue with the learning and hard work and to believe in the little business they have started. We are very confident that this is only the beginning!

Congratulations to all the women and to their teacher, Babette, and their supporter, Ellen!

Group Number 8!

Banyu Urip Group is located in Dusun (hamlet) Lengak Mati, Banyu Urip Village, West Praya Sub District. It takes 1,5 hours by motorbike from Kuta through a very bumpy road. 

The group was started at the end of July 2012 by Aryan, one of the members of Bangkang Group, who is a teacher and very supportive of the methodology. She was so keen that we trained her to start this group on her own. The group has 14 members, all of them farmers with limited education and literacy level. Most of them only speak the local language (Sasak), making it really challenging for the team to work with this group.

During their first meeting after the training, they felt so insecure that they asked the cleric in town to help them with the financial records needed for the savings and loans group. However, thanks to a more thorough explanation they finally accepted to take full responsibility and now have chosen 5 women to take over the president, book-keeping, key and box responsibilities. Although it was challenging for them to do the book keeping, as things like using a calculator and writing numbers are not usual things for them, after almost an hour they managed to finish the task of recording the shares. 

We will continue to encourage them to continue the learning pace in order to progress in the route to empowerment of this group too!

Welcome to all the women in Banyu Urip

Thanks Arlene!

We met Arlene last February in one of her visits to Kuta Lombok. She loved Bersahara and committed to come back soon to help us out. 5 months later she landed here again, 2 camaras and a surf board as all gear.

She has spent 10 intense days following every step of the team and the women: markets, savings and loans groups, door to door selling, fish buying, business management trainings, sewing classes, even sasak women modelling. 

Arlene is a professional photographer from Australia (http://arlenebaxblog.com/) who travels the world during her free time volunteering with different organizations, supporting them with what she most loves, photographing people. With Bersahara not only has she done the same, but she has also helped us design our communication materials and even contributed economically to support us.

Arlene, we are very grateful to you, the whole team and the women have enjoyed having you with us! We wish you all the best and hope to see you again soon!

Here is a little taste of Arlene's work...

 

Bangkang Savings and Loans group

Yum managing the accounting for the group in Ujung

Ina Dani and Ina Lina waiting for customers...

Ina Genun happy after selling all her fish!

Ina Ogi and her family

Ina Lena making a bamboo mat



Ina Yuyun door to door sales woman



Business Managment training with Ayong

Buying vegetables in Sengkol market with Ina Nisa

Hajah Saibi preparing the linen for a bag

Sasak Modelling

Last Wednesday we went to Ujung village. We wanted to see the evolution of the design and sewing classes that our volunteer Babette has recently started with two groups of women.

Babette supervising Ayong's sewing

The final product, isn't it beautiful?

The Ujung group is made out of 6 women who have some previous basic experience with machine sewing and hand embroidery. Only 3 weeks after starting, the women have already finished their first pieces, a beautiful bag made out of traditional Ikat fabric (hand woven cotton thread), combined with modern trims and designs. We are really proud of them and very grateful to Babette who has managed to achieve this beautiful result in a record time!

To our surprise, the women had decided to dress up in traditional Sasak clothes and unexpectedly modelled for us! See for yourself….

Sasak Models

The women told us that they would have never imagined that they could possibly make a bag like this with their own hands and using their own imagination for embroidery designs. We had a great time!

On the way to empowerment!

Bersahara First Employee!

Ellen Pandia was born in Medan, Northern Sumatra. She studied Bachelor in Accounting and started her professional career as an accountant in a restaurant in Batam. After over a year she started looking for a job in the social sector and got an offer as an accountant for ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency), a development organization based in Medan. After 6 years she was transferred to Southern Lombok to take on grass root work leading a water sanitation project.

We met Ellen last year and mnmediately connected with her. After her job at ADRA finished last June we offered her to join Bersahara and we are very lucky that she accepted.

Ellen will be handling the Finance and Accounting for Bersahara, and will assume responsibilities to support and supervise volunteers and other employees. She will also supervie the savings and loans groups and initiate new ones. We also count on Ellen's previous experience in social matters to inspire and lead Bersahara to take on new projects. 

"Working with community at a social / humanitarian organization enriches me with many experiences and many lessons to be learned that I can’t have from a text book. It’s great happiness when I see beneficiary changes to be better in their life."

Welcome Ellen