Women's Microcredit Mighty Impact!

Successful Microcredit!

Everyday there is more and more doom and gloom news about the failure of credit institutions and of those who are unable to repay on their loans.

With so much negative news it is rare to hear about a credit institution that is not just doing well, but is thriving!

The Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia Micro (AIM) Credit Institution is an organization set up to assist new (primarily female) entrepreneurs get started and provides the some of the tools they need to achieve their goals.

For those not familiar with AIM; it is modeled after Bangladesh's microcredit institution Grameen Bank and its founder Muhammad Yunus who won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006 for efforts in making funds available to the poorest of the poor through a grassroots organization.

The Two hundred (200,000) thousand membership AIM has is made up of women from all sectors of society. Some which are formally educated and many who are not. AIM’S ultimate aim is…

The Empowerment of Women by Creating Opportunities!

Sister Zabidah Binti Ismail (CEO, AIM) says that any positive growth by the organization is largely due to the women who participate in the program and prayer.

She also says that the women are excellent in making payment on what they have borrowed.

To date AIM has a 98% (some cases 100%) return rate on the loans that were given out. As a result of this high rate of return; AIM now has over RM1billion at its disposal!

With so many international lending institutions failing, one has to ask… What is behind this Institution’s success?

1. Pre-loan Counseling: Before loans are granted, AIM has applicants come in for training and seminars over a period of a month.

2. Group encouragement: Applicants are placed in groups of five (5) which serves to encourage and assist one another when appropriate.

3. Pledge: The women take a pledge to send their children to school.

The third factor was highlighted when sister Zabidah shared a story about one of AIM’S members who herself had no formal education.

What she did have were a couple of desires.

1. A desire to have her own successful business.

2. A driving desire for her children to get what she was lacking; an education.

Was it easy? Just imagine keeping track of orders and inventory without knowing how to read or right.

Will her children follow in her footsteps? That is hard to say, but she probably sleeps easier at night knowing that now they have a options.

AIM can probably produce thousands of stories just like this one. Stories of how micro credit has served to changed the lives and fulfill the aspirations of women around Malaysia.

Perhaps what Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia is doing can serve as a model for us all!

To learn more about AIM (Click Here!)



The following are a few photos of an event jointly hosted by AIM and The World Muslim Consumer Association.

From L to R: Bros Hanafi, Dato Nadzim (Executive Sec. of The World Muslim Consumer Assoc., Sister Zabidah (CEO, AIM microcredit) and Brother Che Mahdi Bin Idris (Program Kewanan Mikro Bandar)

As-Salaam Alaikum

By: Muneer A. Rasheed
International Affairs Advisory and Consultant (PPIM)

The World Muslim Consumer Association

Asia Source Consulting

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