REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, REMBANG -- The wheels of Rembang residents' economy, Central Java, have started to roll smoothly recently. They got help from State-owned cement manufacturer Semen Indonesia.

The company has significant contribution in the economy sector of Rembang citizens, especially people at the Kedungrejo Village who joined Bakul Belanja Keliling Rembang (PBBKR) community.

At least 60 women has become members of PBBKR. All of them are selling fruits for living. Before joining the community, they used to lend money from moneylander and trapped by debt. They need the money as capital to sell fruits.

Many of them could not afford to pay their debt to moneylender. Imagine, the moneylender gave them Rp100,000 for 24 days, but in return they must pay Rp120,000.

The high rate of interest has made them unable to pay. Day by day, their debt is becoming more and more strangling. Linda Setyawati could not stand to see this vicious circle.

She tried to think ways to free her neighbor from debt. "It inspired me to do something to help them. Those women are marginalized," Linda said.

Linda formed PBBKR to break the chains of dependency from the moneylenders' trap.

Through cooperation with the Semen Indonesia, Linda obtained a solution for women. PBBKR offers Kedungrejo citizens a business loan with no personal guarantee Rp 3 million for each woman.

The loan should be returned as much as Rp200,000 per month for 18 months. From that Rp200,000, as much as Rp182,000 was set as mortgage and the rest as savings.

Beside earning capital loan, PBBKR members also got other knowledge such as training and health education.

Rembang's local citizens felt the loan provided Semen Indonesia as a blessing. It helped them a lot. Suparseh, a member of PBBKR, said she was happy with the support from Semen Indonesia.

"I had no money, When Semen Indonesia gave me business loan, I had a lot of capital to start selling fruits," she said.

Not only got the funds, Suparseh and her colleagues were given cart.

Villagers were grateful for their present condition. According Suparseh, the presence of the Semen Indonesia and activeness in PBBKR help her activity as fruits seller.

Semen Indonesia Rembang branch Manager Abdul Manan said he fully supports the PBBKR.

According to him, what is happening on the field makes Semen Indonesia dare to provide stimulant. Not only lending capital, traders are also were given the cart.

Abdul added, Semen Indonesia plans to raise a loan of Rp 3 million to Rp 5 million, financial aid and nature conservation.

"We are not only looking for profit, but empowerment of the community," Abdul said.

Semen Indonesia directly developed the quality of education of Rembang local citizens. The company provides a financial aid to the success of the Packet A, B, and C program in the local area. Local residents at the Gunem Subdistrict, Rembang, undergo program of equality skill in the Course and Training Institute (LKP).

LKP Siap Mandiri, one of the facilities available in the village named Suntri. The LKP leaders, Supangat, said, the teaching-learning process is assisted by 38 tutors. Each tutor received incentive fund of Rp 165,000 per month in cooperation with the Semen Indonesia.

The students were divided into three groups based on education degree. Packet A degree consisting of 80 people, packet B 153, and 184 packet C. "Teaching and learning still continue,'' he said.

Rembang Non-formal Education head Agus Sugiyanto appreciated Semen Indonesia's effort to educate communities in the region. He hoped the knowledge can be applied in the real world.

Equality program is not focused on formal education, but also skills training, such as sewing, computer operations, and cooking.

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika