As the sun streams into the small stall nestled in a corner of the bustling market, the villagers crowd around it to see the mayor of Banda Aceh wish the market vendors success for the future. This morning, International Medical Corps is handing over a loan to the members of this vendors’ cooperative located in the capital of Aceh Province, Indonesia. International Medical Corps’ micro-credit program has enabled several cooperatives to get their businesses up and running again. The mayor has enthusiastically supported International Medical Corps’ efforts to train and enable groups of villagers to restore their livelihoods following the destruction of the tsunami that struck them on December 26th, 2004.
“We would like to thank International Medical Corps for this valuable contribution and look forward to continuing this sustainable partnership,” the mayor declared. “Many cooperatives were ruined after the tsunami and no bank would give us loans to start up again. We are very fortunate that International Medical Corps’ loans, training and education have given us this chance. In return we will prove our commitment by growing our businesses that have been restored with International Medical Corps’ help.”
Aceh’s communities have always prided themselves on their solidarity and International Medical Corps’ livelihoods initiatives continue to promote this strength. International Medical Corps’ livelihoods coordinator in Aceh Province, Bernardo Roa, explains, “We went to the community and after we gained their trust and confidence, we asked the members to propose their ideas. Our staff then provided training to consolidate these into long-term business plans as coherent cooperatives with a clear purpose. In this way they are actively involved and deeply motivated from the start and the training and personal commitment paves the way for sustainable livelihoods. This is International Medical Corps’ way of helping the people come up with their own decisions.”
Along with the market vendors, other businesses have received International Medical Corps loans. The sewing cooperative used an International Medical Corps loan to purchase new sewing machines. Now, along with the embroidery patterns for the garments they will produce, they are busy preparing business plans and long-term strategies for the future of the cooperative.
“The training, the sewing machines and the loan from International Medical Corps will help us support our business in the long-term so we have something to rebuild our future with,” stated a member of the sewing cooperative.
After International Medical Corps delivered the new sewing machines and the training certificates were handed out, the women presented a delicious assortment of local delicacies; a gesture from the women to thank International Medical Corps for their support.
A brick-makers cooperative was able to rebuild a furnace and increase productivity thanks to a loan from International Medical Corps. Nani, a member of the cooperative, can now make over 1,000 bricks a day to keep up with demand as a result of the tsunami.
Her hands move like lightning as she scoops the clay into the mold for shaping the brick. The floor is lined with impressive rows of bricks ready to be baked for five days in the blazing furnace.
“Our furnace was completely destroyed by the tsunami and with that, our chance to make a living,” stated Nani. We desperately needed money to get the furnace up and running as soon as possible. Now we want to increase our production to be able to provide more bricks. The loan from International Medical Corps was essential and we are very grateful to have received it.”
Livelihoods coordinator Bernardo Roa is committed to the long-term sustainability of the co-operatives that International Medical Corps has been supporting.
“There is a lot of work to be done. International Medical Corps plans to continue investing in appropriate developments to address the needs that still prevail in Aceh,” commented Roa. The main objective of the micro-credit project is to provide the required finances to start-up or resume income generating businesses through the creation of a revolving fund and related administrative and management structures. At the same time, it provides basic skills for business promotion and development of management capabilities for small entrepreneurs.
“The people of Aceh have responded enthusiastically to International Medical Corps’ livelihoods and community development framework …but this is not the end,” Roa asserted. “In fact, this is just the beginning of the many facets of this development framework.”
Currently plans are underway for a ‘night-café’, which has been approved by the mayor, and a fashion show for the women’s embroidery groups to promote the garments they produce.