Relung Indonesia Conducts Regenerative Financial Management Training: Women Farmer Groups in Tanggamus Strengthen Financial Literacy and Business Resilience

Tanggamus, Lampung – February 2025. After dreaming boldly and building awareness through the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) training, the determined women of the Women Farmer Groups (KWT) in Tanggamus took another significant step forward. From February 25–26, 2025 in Ulu Belu District, and February 27–28, 2025 in Pulau Panggung District, Relung Indonesia held a Regenerative Financial Management (RFM) Training, attended by 62 participants from 22 KWTs across three subdistricts: Ulu Belu, Pulau Panggung, and Air Naningan.

This training is part of the Empowering Women Coffee Farmers program a collaboration between Relung Indonesia, GIZ, and Nestlé integrating GALS, financial literacy, and business management for the development of sustainable women-led enterprises.

Strengthening Household Economic Foundations Through Financial Literacy

Unlike previous trainings that focused on visioning and gender awareness, the RFM Training encouraged participants to evaluate their consumption patterns, understand the difference between needs and wants, and develop strategies for responsible household financial management.

Through group discussions and real-life case studies, participants learned to:

• Identify unnecessary expenses (such as impulsive shopping, excessive online purchases, and overuse of mobile data)
• Distinguish between consumptive spending and essential needs
• Develop both individual and collective saving systems
• Understand the impact of digital consumerism and today’s economic challenges

The session “Finance in the Digital Age” was an eye-opener, revealing how social media, FOMO culture, and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) platforms can drive uncontrolled spending even in rural areas.

Fostering a Regenerative Financial Mindset

With a regenerative approach, participants were encouraged not only to be frugal, but also to develop productive and visionary financial habits. The training emphasized the importance of:

• Saving for long-term needs (education, health, and business capital)
• Avoiding trend-driven purchases
• Building a habit of tracking income and expenses
• Setting family priorities from paying health insurance (BPJS) to buying fertilizer for their gardens

Participants also engaged in financial decision-making simulations, including evaluating urgent versus non-urgent expenses, and designing a group savings agreement with clearly defined rules and penalties for non-compliance.

Discussion Sparks Perspective Shift and Community Solutions

Group discussions unearthed a range of local economic issues: dependence on farming income, rising living costs, income inequality, and even household conflicts triggered by financial strain.

What stood out most was the women’s community-based problem-solving mindset, including proposals such as:

• Establishing capital through group-based contributions
• Creating savings and loan cooperatives
• Drafting formal agreements for group savings systems
• Developing child-friendly financial education strategies to reduce gadget and online shopping dependency

These discussions not only strengthened financial literacy but also nurtured new grassroots leadership among rural women.

The Power of Saving, The Strength of Solidarity

The training emphasized that saving is not just about putting money aside it’s about building discipline, financial awareness, and social protection mechanisms.

Participants collaboratively designed group saving mechanisms that included:

• Contribution amounts and deposit schedules
• Loan and withdrawal terms
• Administrative costs and transparency standards
• Penalties for delays or violations

Through simulation exercises, participants recognized that collective financial systems can become a powerful economic tool for women, and a pathway to build solidarity and independence.

Relung Indonesia: Accompanying Change Rooted in Home and Garden

This Regenerative Financial Management training affirms that gender equality and economic justice must go hand in hand. Relung Indonesia believes that when women understand how to manage finances wisely, they not only transform their households but also become key players in building resilient village economies.

We believe the greatest capital is not money it’s knowledge, courage, and solidarity. From Ulu Belu to Pulau Panggung, that spirit now burns brighter — one step closer to a future where villages are more self-reliant, equitable, and sustainable.

Contributor:
Shella