Sri Utami used her loan to expand her business, including the purchase of four fish grinders. Additionally, part of the loan was used toward her daily expenses. She believes that the loan has helped her business grow, and she now has more customers. She has used her income to increase her savings and pay for her daughter’s high school education. Sri Utami presently rents the space where she has her food stall. She hopes in the future to buy a property to expand her enterprise and specialize in selling ground up seafood dishes to customers. She would like to take out a loan for Rp. 50 million someday.
As of this writing, Sri Utami had not missed a loan payment and had approximately Rp. 8 million (Indonesian rupiahs) outstanding on her loan. She received her first loan fourteen years ago to help her business selling cookies, and she has taken out several loans subsequently. This loan was made by the DINARI Foundation in Bali, Indonesia. DINARI stands for “Dian Bhuana Lestari”, which means “lights that shine throughout the world.” The Foundation works to reduce poverty, stimulate small business development, and raise awareness about environmental issues.
