ISLAMINOMICS: JOURNAL OF ISLAMIC ECONOMICS, BUSINESS AND FINANCE

EMPOWERING WOMAN IN ISLAMIC MICROFINANCE: LESSON FROM GRAMEEN BANK IN BANGLADESH, BMT AND MBK VENTURE CAPITAL IN INDONESIA

Atiqi Chollisni Nasution

Keywords: microfinance, Grameen Bank, MBK, BMT

Abstract

Recently, microfinance have become an important component to
reduce poverty. By involving the poor in the economic activities,
most of microfinance institutions (MFIs) have succeeded in
running their programs and have been flourished to improve the
quality of poor people life. This study indicated that women
entrepreneurs have contributed positively either to household
income or economic development. However, their contributions
have not optimalized yet in the microfinance program. The study
attempts to describe and review the microfinance program that
might encourage the development of empowering women. The
objective is to analyze the successful of microfinance programs
that have been applicated by some famous MFIs namely Grameen
Bank in Bangladesh, MBK Venture Capital and BMT (Baitul Maal
wa Tamwil) in Indonesia. It is found that BMT’s marketing
strategy and MBK’s financing services are the suitable criterias
to enhance the number of women entrepreneurs and optimalize the
profitability of MFI. Meanwhile, Grameen Bank’s management
model is useful for minimizing the risk of microfinance program.