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| Women’s Micro Enterprise Cooperatives |
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| How the ‘Sari Tunggal Sedana’ Micro Credit Cooperative began |
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| After the Bali bombing tragedy of 2002, there were widespread economic impacts due to the drop in tourism on Bali. In response, Yayasan IDEP Foundation began a program which supported the development of community based women’s enterprises. The program included a micro scale funding scheme which alleviates poverty by generating income and reducing local unemployment for women in some of Bali’s poor rural areas. Loan allocations were given to ‘working groups’ of women (on average there is 15-30 women in each group) in the form of production & processing tools and technical and marketing training. In some cases seed capital was also provided. Thanks to supporters worldwide, we have been able to launch 6 of these cooperatives (see details below) which have increased the income for over 150 local women and their families. |
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| How the Program Works |
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| Cooperative participants choose the type of program that best suits their needs, abilities and local resources. Enterprises chosen by the women in these groups generally include the production and sale of products used for local cultural activities, such as religious offerings and cakes -- daily commodities in Bali.
The participating group receives tools and or training from Yayasan IDEP, and when applicable, a cash loan for the cooperative development. As loans are repaid, the capital is used to increase the project’s scope and to support the development of other community development programs. A small portion of earnings is also allocated to the project running and supervision costs.
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| What Yayasan IDEP is currently doing with this program |
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| In the first stage of the program IDEP provided support for group establishment and basic training, which covered strengthening the production capacity of group members. Micro loans were supplied to the cooperative members to purchase tools for production needs.
Today, some of the cooperatives have completed their repayment cycle and the funds are in hand and ready to be reinvested into other community development programs. Other groups have had difficulty with the collection of loan repayments, and have requested an extension for the repayment time. In response, Yayasan IDEP is working with local community leaders and the group members to facilitate a new payback system that will be managed by the women themselves. This new system works directly with the cooperative participants and enables them to further develop their financial management skills.
In some cases, the challenges met by the groups showed that further capacity building was also needed. Better bookkeeping, marketing and product distribution skills are needed to increase the program’s success and scope. Yayasan IDEP Foundation is now working to address these needs by developing a more extensive marketing and business management workshop program, with support from local micro credit experts in the field. This training is intended to empower the women involved to take more responsibility for creating appropriate solutions to overcome their own challenges.
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| About the individual women’s cooperative groups |
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The Ceremonial Offerings Making Cooperative of Tegal Jadi
Sponsored by The Karen Kingston School of Space Clearing |
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| This group includes 18 women who work together to sell traditional offerings used for Hindu religious ceremonies and festivals. The offerings are made from coconut leaves, pandan palm weavings, flowers and rice-based sculptures, and are sold primarily within the local community. The ingredients are commonly collected from the women’s properties, or purchased in bulk at local markets. Yayasan IDEP is currently working with local micro credit specialists to help this group in Tegal Jadi to diversify their products, improve their product presentation and develop links with potential markets outside of their own community. |
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The Balinese Cake Making Cooperative of Tegal Jadi
Sponsored by The Karen Kingston School of Space Clearing |
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| There are 15 women in this cooperative, who earn an average income of between Rp 10,000 – Rp 20,000 (US $1.20 -$1.40) per day. The women make traditional Balinese cakes, which are sold for ceremonial purposes and to the owners of local roadside stalls (warungs). The cakes are made from various types of flours and rice, palm sugar and traditional dyes or food colouring. Yayasan IDEP is currently working with local micro credit specialists to help this group in Tegal Jadi to diversify their products, improve their packaging and develop business links with potential markets outside of their own community. |
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The Bamboo Weaving Cooperative of Tangung Ttiti
Sponsored by Gaia and Andrew Grant |
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| There are 20 women in this cooperative, who produce bamboo weavings that are used for Hindu religious ceremonies, as well as for everyday household purposes. Woven bamboo mats and baskets are sold within their own community. Through this program these women have been able to increase their capital, develop some new marketing strategies, and increase their production capacity.
After the program socialization and training period, Yayasan IDEP Foundation is pleased to report that the participants of this group decided that the training workshops provided enabled them to manage their cooperative activities without the need for any further financial support. The full loan has been returned to Yayasan IDEP, and these funds are now available for reinvestment to other community development programs.
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The Ceremonial Offerings Making Cooperative of Bajra
Sponsored by The Norwegian Students Group |
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| There are 19 women in this cooperative, who work together to produce traditional Balinese offerings used for Hindu religious ceremonies, ritual festival days, and temple anniversaries, which are frequent occasions on Bali. Today, many Balinese women are working outside of their homes and are too busy to make their own offerings, so the demand for the products of this group is quite high. These offerings are made from coconut leaves, pandan palm weavings, flowers and rice-based sculptures. Many of the ingredients used are collected from the participants’ properties, or (when required) purchased in bulk from local markets.
Yayasan IDEP Foundation is pleased to report that the participants of this group decided that the training workshops provided enabled them to manage their cooperative activities without the need for further financial support. The full loan has been returned to Yayasan IDEP, and these funds are now available for reinvestment to other community development programs.
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The Balinese Cake Making Cooperative of Bajra
Sponsored by The Norwegian Students Group |
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| There are 15 women in this cooperative who make traditional Balinese cakes that are sold for ceremonial purposes and to the owners of local road-side stalls (warungs). The cakes are made from various types of flours and rice, palm sugar and traditional dyes or food coloring. The majority of ingredients are purchased in bulk at near by markets.
Yayasan IDEP Foundation is pleased to report that the participants of this group decided that the training workshops provided enabled them to manage their cooperative activities without the need for further financial support. The full loan has been returned to Yayasan IDEP, and these funds are now available for reinvestment to other community development programs.
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The community waste management cooperative of Kutuh Kelod
Sponsored by The Norwegian Students Group |
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| The women in this group are members of the Indonesian Women’s Organization (PKK) who have established a micro enterprise based on the sale of certain recyclable wastes collected from their communities. Significantly, the program offers a self-sustainable, viable solution to cleaning up some of Bali’s enormous waste management problems. The cooperative’s activities have received media attention and recognition by the local government as an outstanding effort by Balinese women to solve their own problems.
Yayasan IDEP intends to further strengthen the scope of this program and assist other local communities to develop similar community based waste management enterprises. Click here to learn more about this Community Waste Management Enterprise.
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| Other donors who have generously supported the development of this project: |
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Andrea Mangini - Adobe matching funds program
Brett Elliot
Joshua Smith
Lee Downey and friends
Nils Wetterlind
Ros Lovel
Toni Pollard
Zee Haag & friends - Tucson Gem Show |
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| Special thanks also goes out to Jan Miro’s and friends who kindly donated many goods to be sent out to the women’s groups in the villages. |
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| How you can help |
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| If you are interested in supporting the marketing and business management training for these women’s cooperatives please contact our community development programs for more information, or go directly to our donations page to pledge your support. |
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