My Finances Remain Stable During Pandemic Situation

Darmi, 48, is a housewife with two children and a member of the Cacao Women Farmers Group (KWT) in Lewaja Village, Enrekang District, Enrekang Regency, South Sulawesi. Darmi has learned many things when she joined the Cocoa Life program assisted by Mondelez International and Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI). One of them is getting new knowledge about financial management in the household after joining the VSLA or Village Savings and Loans Association activities.

Previously, Darmi only knew that saving was limited to meeting daily needs. Darmi immediately spent her income and then saved the rest of her income so that Darmi always feels inadequate, besides that Darmi only expected the income from her husband as a cocoa farmer. It never crossed her mind to set aside her money for a long term in a bank. This is due to a lack of attention to save for the needs of their children in the long term, lack of attention to setting aside money for the maintenance of their garden needs, and lack of activities to increase their knowledge in improving the household economy.

This problem is a concern of WVI through the Cocoa Life Program, which is supported by Mondelez International. Therefore, the VSLA in the village should be introduced to every community assisted by the Cocoa Life Project. It is expected that this VSLA can be applied to every farmer group and can bring changes in improving the household economy. So that the economy can be managed properly to achieve family welfare.

After the VSLA activity, which was introduced in the community, many positive changes happened, especially for Darmi. Her knowledge of the importance of saving has increased. She is now starting to set aside half of her income first to save and then consume the rest. In addition, she does not only expect income from her husband. Now Darmi is able to grow her own vegetables to sell in the market. She also can manage mixed business capital at home. She is able to set aside her income in the bank for the long term. Also, she is able to set aside her finances for agricultural needs. Finally, Darmi now is able to manage her finances, her household, both for their daily needs and for the educational needs of their children. Darmi never expects that her weekly saving of around Rp20,000 really helped his household life. It makes Darmi more motivated to save money so that she could set aside her weekly income to be saved in VSLA. Since VSLA brings many benefits for the community, the VSLA activity as part of Cocoa Life activity can continue until now.

Now, the community is actively and increasingly motivated to develop themselves in various activities carried out by the Cocoa Life program, both in increasing knowledge and in improving the economy to meet household needs.

Written by Oktavianti Mariana, Field Facilitator, Cocoa Life Program