Empowering Communities Through PNM Program
In a bid to create a golden generation by 2045, Tina Talisa, the Special Staff of the Vice President tasked with overseeing micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), visited the Empowerment Program of PT Permodalan Nasional Madani (PNM) at the Integrated Waste Management Site in Bantar Gebang, Bekasi, West Java, on Monday, January 13, 2024.
The Significance of Bantar Gebang
The Bantar Gebang area was chosen due to its significant potential despite facing severe challenges related to its environment and socio-economic conditions. Through the Mekaar program, PNM has reached 400 thousand underprivileged mothers in the region by providing them with support, training, and access to ultra-micro household business financing.
Tina highlighted that the aim of the PNM Mekaar empowerment program is not only to increase family income for mothers but also to provide broader empowerment opportunities for children through education. She emphasized the ecosystem supporting the enhancement of mothers’ businesses through Weekly Group Meetings and free learning facilities at the Madani Smart Room.
Aligning with the President’s Vision
Tina noted that the presence of the Madani Smart Room aligns with President Prabowo’s mission of creating a generation that excels in intellectual pursuits. She emphasized the importance of improving the education of children beyond that of their parents. Tina explained that raising the family’s welfare must be done through education, with the goal of having children achieve higher educational levels than their parents.
Driving Economic Independence
PNM’s President Director, Arief Mulyadi, emphasized that PNM aims to encourage grassroots economic independence by fostering sustainability in financial, intellectual, and social aspects. Many PNM Mekaar clients reside in the Bantar Gebang area, known for its waste management site, offering untapped potential for further development.
Arief highlighted that the success of PNM’s empowerment is not solely measured by the number of clients receiving financing but also by the improved quality of life through financial literacy, financial inclusion, and social benefits. For instance, some PNM clients in Bantar Gebang have successfully created job opportunities for their neighbors through recycling businesses.
By empowering communities through programs like PNM Mekaar, Tina Talisa and PNM are contributing to the larger goal of fostering economic independence and sustainable growth within underprivileged areas, aligning with the government’s vision of creating a prosperous and empowered generation by 2045.
