TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is interested to learn about Indonesia’s micro-finance development program, especially the unsecured people’s business loans (KUR) with interest of nine percent.

“They said Indonesia has already had several schemes for micro-finance,” said Agus Muharram, secretary of the Cooperatives and Small Medium Enterprises Ministry, on Friday, February 05, 2016.

Micro-finance agencies in Indonesia include Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Bank Perkreditan Rakyat, Pegadaian and saving and loan cooperatives – which are considered to be one of the agencies that provide easier access to finance.

According to Agus, JICA is interested in learning about the government’s programs in empowering business players, especially women. The government has programs to give access for cooperatives and women entrepreneurs.

The women’s empowerment program includes funding for cooperatives and ‘Perempuan Keluarga Sehat dan Sejahtera' program. Since 2015, the government has distributed those aids to 742 units of women’s cooperatives in all provinces. The total aid given is Rp50 billion. The government is committed to give training and capital program for women entrepreneurs.

DANANG FIRMANTO