Indian women in Kapar attend micro loan awareness program

Aim officer En Saad and Taskforce officer Premla sharing thoughts

Thirty five Indian women gathered at the MIC office in Kapar yesterday (Feb 11, 2011) to hear the briefing from the officials from Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM). The Taskforce in cooperation with local leaders organized this program. This is in an ongoing effort to create great awareness and access on micro loan programs funded by the Federal government

AIM a micro credit self help group program which is very successful in polling many Malay families out of poverty though micro credit and business. This is empowering program rather than an approach which is based on welfare grants and charity

The real catalyst in this program at Kapar was a single mother (Mrs Janu) who asked for this program and convinced her friends to attend it. AIM staff Mr Saad and Taskforce officer Mrs Premla briefed the women on the program, terms and conditions of participation in AIM. Datuk Dr Denison also briefly addressed the women and encouraged them to form small groups that will co guarantee themselves for micro loans.

Kapar women at the micro credit briefing by AIM & Taskforce

There were two key questions in the mind of most of the women. One relates to the sharing of liability as this is a group guarantee program and if one of the five members defaults then the others in the group will have to share the loss. The second matter was over attendance at the weekly meeting.

There was some clear interest and they all agreed to make one field trip which will be organized by the Taskforce namely to visit a successful operating AIM Centre of 60 women in Hutang Merlingtang, Teluk Intan. They agreed to make the visit on March 12 (sat) and in order to meet some of the successful women in the AIM program.