Poverty Eradication

The Bakrie Group was officially launched the Indonesia Bakrie Micro Finance (BMF) in the Village Kalangsari, Karawang, West Java, Wednesday, December 15, 2010. BMF launch event held at the Field Battalion, 305th Airborne was the first nationally. Next, will be conducted in other areas.

President Director & CEO of BMF, B. Irawan Massie explained that the BMF is a micro finance institution which adopted the concept and philosophy of Grameen Bank, a microfinance institution in Bangladesh founded by the 2006 Nobel Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus.

In line with this concept, BMF is founded as an effort to alleviate poverty by increasing income and welfare of pre-prosperous family.

Each beneficiary received Micro Working Capital Loan (PMKM) of US$ 100 or approximately Rp 1 million. "Beneficiaries can obtain credit loan increase to 20 percent if the installment business run smoothly and successfully. The loan funds return, then distributed to prospective recipients, "said Irawan.

Return on working capital is used with very small profit sharing. It is expected that loans without collateral to increase pre-prosperous family income in a short time and continue rolling to the pre-prosperous family, if it's not needed anymore.

In 2011, BMF capital allocated Rp 100 billion. BMF will be channeled through the national cooperative and devoted exclusively to women, because women are groups of people who are sensitive to the suffering of families. "Women have a responsibility to restore the obligations," said Irawan.

Non profit
Meanwhile, Bakrie, explained, BMF is founded to empower the community. The microfinance institution is not aimed at profit. "We don't take a penny of profit. The profit is not for the company, but played for the community," said Ical, his familiar greeting.

In addition to providing working capital assistance, BMF also perform a variety of counseling programs and the empowerment of women. "Many programs will not only provide loan assistance only, but business, financial, and other useful for women such as health," explained Ical.

In addition, Ical also adds spirit BMF is not just helpful, but to empower. This message inspired by his father, H. Achmad Bakrie. "Every penny resulted from the company should be useful for the people," he said.

He also advised the beneficiaries requested promise, the money from the business should not be used for consumptive purposes. Money can only be used to improve family nutrition, school fees and health purposes.

On the occasion, Ical and the Bakrie family symbolically hand over credit to five women. The loan represented 1,000 recipients.

Before the event ended, Ical invited the audience to ask questions. Ical Attendees asked about various things. Among them was a woman who was helped by the BMF program, but his brother in Majalengka want to borrow money in the Karawang area. So is it okay to borrow in the Karawang area?, Ical said "Sure you can, as long as the borrowed money solely for business," he explained.

In addition, she admitted she is so helped with BMF.  She also asked whether the BMF will be opened in other regions. "Pray for it, we will open across Indonesia," said Ical.

[Photos: icalbakrie.com]