LPD Widya Artha around the Monkey Forest

Village Credit Union (LPD) is a financial institution that thoroughly provides added value to the village community. Since the establishment of LPD, the economy of local community increases. Why? LPD, acting as the credit provider, is immensely unified with the villagers that are supplied with loans. On the contrary, the community saves their money at the LPD because they feel secure about the performance of LPD as a financial institution belonging to them. .

Simply look at the LPD Widya Artha. This LPD, situated 3 km south of Ubud city, was established in 2000 and grew rapidly. Today, the LPD Widya Artha is capable of encouraging the economy of villagers amounting to 183 households, from Nyuhkuning, Mas and Ubud in Gianyar regency.
This LPD only employs two staff and 3 administrators of which all of them are women. “At the beginning, our asset amounted to IDR 2,217,814,000 and profits to IDR 84,492,000,” said the Head of LPD Widya Artha, Ni Ketut Karsi, Thursday (6/2) to Bali Travel News.
Observed, in last December 2006, its assets grew to IDR 2,365,585,000. So did its profit that rose to IDR 150,586,000, where 20% of this profit is directly contributed to the treasure of the village.” Progress of the venture from December 2005 to December 2006 produced net profits with an increase of 96%,” she said while adding that savings of the community has reached the number IDR 1,047,222,000 from 801 savers and deposit account 1,017,300,000 from 49 depositors. Meanwhile, the money distributed in the form of credit is equal to IDR 1,932,608,000 from 311 debtors.
Interestingly, this LPD can generate or cover the economic moves of the village up to 60%. It means that since the establishment of the LPD, creativity of the investment of the local villagers rises to 60% in which most of the investment works in the tourism supporting business.
Asked about whether there were customers from outside the village who took the credit from the LPD Widya Artha, she justified if they did. She replied shortly, but the process of the credit realization should be guaranteed by a local villager. “If unavailable, we can not approve their credit. We do not want to take any risk,” she revealed while adding that the credit at this LPD required no guarantee of any kind.
At the end of 2006, this LPD distributed lottery prize numbers to every saver and debtor with cash totally amounted to IDR 14 million. In addition, it regularly gives donations to temple priests of the Kahyangan Tiga Temple (three main temples belonging to customary village), Jro Mangku Manca and Jro Mangku Dadia and additional remuneration for teachers of kindergarten at the village. “In 2007, we will provide social funds for the education of senior high school students so that they can continue their study,” she added. (BTN/Ketut Budiarta)