Meet Putu, the first woman helped with a small loan
Fifty years ago, Opportunity International Australia founder David Bussau gave his first small loan to an Indonesian farmer named Ketut to start a tailoring business. But what you may not know is that it wasn’t just Ketut – it was also his wife, Putu, who was the brains behind the business.
Putu had learnt sewing skills when she was younger and hadn’t been working while raising a young family. They relied on Ketut’s income from rice farming, but were struggling financially when the latest rice crop failed.
When they received the $50 loan from David Bussau, it was Putu who purchased the sewing machine and got to work. She made clothes for people in their local community and was able to build a successful business and employ more women to help keep up with the orders.
“She was a really capable sewer, and thanks to her, our family managed to survive. We earned money from that sewing machine, which allowed us to afford food and send our children to kindergarten.” - Ketut, her husband.
Today, Putu is retired and living comfortably in Bali with Ketut. Their three children all attended university and are now living and working in Denpasar with families of their own.
On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the female entrepreneurs around the world – like Putu – who have turned their skills into a thriving business with an opportunity.
This IWD, show your support for women globally.