BRI Officer Dedicates Herself to Maintaining Financial Access in Indonesia's Remote Islands

Inter-regional access in the Indonesian archipelago depends on sea transportation, with conditions that often change. This has become part of the daily routine of Eka Fitriyani Wulandari, a BRI Unit Salakan officer at BRI Branch Office Luwuk, in serving the community on Bungin Island, Bakalan, and Bulungkobit in Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi. The 34-year-old woman regularly visits the three islands to ensure that the community's banking service needs are still being met. Eka has been with BRI since 2014 and took on the role of minister in 2018, after previously serving as a teller and customer service. This role brought her closer to the community through direct field involvement and understanding the diverse needs of residents in the archipelago. 'I chose to be a minister because this role is very close to the community. I can meet directly, mingle, and understand the needs of customers in the field,' she said. In her daily life, Eka opens access to financing, visits customers, accompanies BRILink Agents, and provides assistance and meetings with the community and business groups. The meetings serve as a space to understand the financial service needs of citizens while providing business education to the community, which largely depends on productive sectors such as fishermen, coconut farmers, and grocery business actors. To reach people on the islands, Eka travels by sea using boats and boats with limited facilities and travel conditions that are not always predictable. The journey is part of her daily routine in ensuring that people remain connected to financial services. 'I have to take boats and boats with rudimentary facilities, so every trip requires mental readiness. However, I still carry it out and am grateful to see the enthusiasm of the people make the whole journey worthwhile,' she stated. For Eka, the challenge as a minister in the archipelago is not only from the travel field but also from the demands to continue learning to respond to the community's needs properly. Infrastructure limitations such as access to electricity are a challenge in maintaining communication with customers, while limited visits mean every meeting must be used optimally. Amidst these conditions, she also plays the role of a mother who sometimes has to be away from her family, including her three-year-old son. 'We have to be confident because in the end, it is ourselves who will help us get through every challenge. Keep developing by exploring the potential you have, and most importantly, work with your heart so that no matter how heavy the work is, it doesn't feel like a burden,' she emphasized. On a separate occasion, Director of Micro BRI Akhmad Purwakajaya appreciated Eka's dedication to continue to serve and accompany the community even to the archipelago. According to him, the spirit shown by Eka is a real representation of the dedication of BRI Ministers in providing financial services even in the 3T regions (the forefront, the outermost, and the most remote). Source: VOI English