* REPORT : 34

INDONESIA REPORT

Report:South Africa SDI team introducing saving in Indonesia
24 January – 5 February 2003

Patrick Magebhula. SA Federation President, who headed the exchange

As a follow up of APD 2 in September 2002 in Indonesia, a South African SDI team consisted of Patrick Hunsley, Phiwe Mbhele, Mmabatho Mogotsi travelled through the UPLINK network cities from 24 January to 5 February 2003. Maurice Leonhardt from ACHR, Afrizal Malna and Suratman, both from the UPC, joined in to make audiovisual documentation of the activities; Wiladi Budiharga, Wardah Hafidz from the UPC, and the local focal points in seven cities assisted the SDI team in the implementation of the activities.

The purpose of the travel is to introduce the South African SDI saving model to urban poor communities in the UPLINK network member cities in Indonesia. The cities are Palembang, South Sumatra, Jakarta, Solo (Central Java), Yogyakarta, Surabaya (East Java), Makassar (South Sulawesi) and Palu (Central Sulawesi).

Activities of the Team
In general, the activities of the team in all cities are as follows:

* Short meeting and discussion with local focal point on the purpose and process of the activities
* Direct demonstration of the saving model in one or two communities , participated by community and sectoral leaders.
* Evaluation and follow-up session.

Upon arrival on 24 January 2003 in Jakarta, a meeting with the UPC as the national coordinator of UPLINK was held. The purpose and schedule of the program was agreed on. Below are the saving groups founded by the team in the seven cities, starting from Palembang and ended in Palu.

Palembang: Musi Rama, 30 initial members, and on the spot saving of 27,000 rupiah. Three treasures and 1 collector were elected.

Jakarta: BL (stands for Bambu Larangan), with initial members of 19 peoples and on the sport saving of 48.000 rupiahs. Mrs. Dewi was appointed as the coordinator, Mrs. Sri Subandiyah as treasurer, Mama Lia as secretary, and the collectors are Sri, Neneng, Ria.

Solo: Tabungan Gerakan (pedicab drivers group) with 8 persons as the initial members and 75.500 rupiahs on the spot saving.

Yogyakarta: Kamba (stands for Kampung Badran) with 32 initial members and 33.000 rupiahs on the spot saving.

Surabaya: “Mentari” saving group in Kedung Cowek community and “Bunga” in Tubanan community.

Makassar: “Sipakatau” saving group, a waste pickers community in the dump site of Makassar. There are 22 initial members with 32.000 rupiahs on the spot saving. Three treasures were elected, and one collector.

Palu: Layana saving group, a community of relocated evictees, with 30 initial members and 30.000 on the spot saving. Three treasurers that function as collectors were elected, i.e. Mrs. Ross, Mrs. Hasnah, and Mrs. Ratna.

Evaluation and Follow up activities
A wrap up session was carried out with the UPC in Jakarta on 5 February. The following are issues being raised and agreed upon.

* The grassroots groups as well as the NGO facilitators that participated in the program were enthusiastic about the model and its strong potential for a means of social movement.
* The UPLINK network has a strong potential for a ground work of the social movement through saving as a media.
* The founded saving groups are catalysts to reach out and initiate more saving groups in their respective network and city.
* There is a danger of the NGO facilitators in some of the seven cities stifle the enthusiasm of the grassroots groups due to the weak understanding of the intended social implications of the model.
* A monitoring and further facilitation process is thus needed: Patrick and the team will come to Indonesia on April; in between February and April, the upc will do the monitoring and help trouble shoot if and when needed.
* Maurice will compose a video film out the trip to visualize the principles and technical processes of the saving model that may be used as guidelines for groups in ACHR network.

Jakarta, 10 February 2003