JAKARTA – The Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement and Protection Service Center (BP3TKI) has asked national banks to provide low-interest loans to former migrant workers (purna TKI) trained by the agency.
According to BP3TKI Jakarta's Protection Section Head, Yull Evira Yulinda, Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), and Bank Mandiri can offer credit loans to migrant workers who have returned home.
"Many BP3TKI centers have trained former TKI, such as in Jakarta, where we have 90 former workers ready to be supported by banks through PKBL funds [partnership and community development program]," she said today.
Yull Evira made this statement in response to the commitment of the three banks to assist former migrant workers through People's Business Credit (KUR) funds.
She added that most of these former migrant workers already have their own businesses, but they struggle with capital to expand their enterprises.
"90% of the former TKI are returnees from the Middle East, and most of them lack sufficient capital to develop their businesses," she explained.
In the 2009 fiscal year, BP3TKI Jakarta trained 30 former migrant workers.
In 2010, the number increased to 60, with training conducted in two batches.
"We provide training in entrepreneurship and culinary skills," she added.
(Source: bisnis.com)