The Indonesian Public to vote for the Most Favorite Danamon Award 2012 recipient from 9 June 2012 to 8 July 2012
Danamon Award Panel of Judges has announced 5 recipients of Danamon Award 2012. The five recipients have undergone tight selection process, using four judging criteria, which are motivation, outcome, outreach, and sustainability. This year, the Danamon Award committee received 302 proposals from different areas across Indonesia. The panel of judges conducted two selection phases, whereby 302 proposals were short-listed into 15 finalists in the first phase and, in the second phase, the 5 Danamon Award 2012 recipients were selected out of the 15 finalists.
The five Danamon Award 2012 recipients originated from Jakarta, West Java, East Java, and West Nusa Tenggara, and cover a variety of fields, including agriculture, social and environmental empowerment, arts, and online marketing. This year’s Danamon Award is the sixth iteration of the award. Similar to last year, the Danamon Award Committee invites the public to vote for their favorite Danamon Award 2012 recipient through online voting, SMS, and social media, through Facebook.
Voting starts from 9 June to 8 July 2012, and, to learn more about the profiles of the Danamon Award 2012 recipients, members of the public can visit http://www.danamonaward.org. Meanwhile, voting can be done through text messages by texting to 9123 with the following text format DA(space)Chosen Number# Your City for example: “DA 1#Jakarta” to vote for the first award recipient. One phone number can only vote once, with a rate of Rp500 for every text message.
Danamon Award 2012 Chairperson, Zsa Zsa Yusharyahya, said, “In line with our vision, which is we care and enable millions to prosper, we support high-spirited individuals in their efforts to improve their own welfares, the well-being of others around them as well as their environment. They deserve to be known by the public, so their empowering stories can inspire others. Therefore, it is time for us to support them by voting the most favorite Danamon Award 2012 recipients.”
In conducting the Danamon Award 2012, Danamon partners with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), a United Nations organization that focuses on human development. “With the involvement of UNDP, the extraordinary achievements of the Danamon Awards 2012 recipients will be widely recognized, not only nationally, but also internationally,” added Zsa Zsa Yusharyahya.
Below are profiles of the five Danamon Award 2011 recipient, with their SMS vote code.
Bambang Parianom, “Environmental Evangelist” (DA 1)
Following a severe flood that struck the town of Batu, Malang, on February 2004, Bambang Parianom (57) started an initiative to reforest Bumiaji District in the town of Batu. As part of this initiative, he founded the PUSAKA Foundation to raise funds for farmers who are involved in the reforestation initiative. The Foundation also provides training sessions that are participated by the local community, cultivating environmentally responsible behaviors in the area.
His work started by planting bamboo trees at the banks of Brantas river, and he continued with planting apple and guava trees along the riverbank. The Pusaka Foundation also distributed apple and guava seeds to local residents for free in an effort to inspire them to take an active role in conserving the riverbank area.
PUSAKA Foundation has formed partnerships with various environmental groups. Currently, the total area managed by PUSAKA Foundation is estimated to reach 100 hectares.
Djuhhari Witjaksono, “Maritime Master Craftsman” (DA: 2)
Djuhhari Witjaksono (82) has proven to the residents of Mojokerto, East Java, that producing miniature ships can improve their welfares. Djuhhari, who is affectionately called Abah, taught himself to craft wooden miniature ships since the 1980s, producing various miniatures of some of Indonesia’s most famous traditional ships along the way.
One of his monumental works is a wooden miniature of a Majapahit ship that he built in 1991. His work has garnered plenty of attention and has managed to sold his works with prices ranging from hundreds of thousands to hundreds of millions IDR. His monthly income reaches 30 million IDR.
Since starting this business, Abah encouraged the local community to be involved because he was confident with the business potential. He shares his skills and expertise with younger generations by actively teaching how to make miniatures, inspiring others to start similar businesses, making the villages Bloto and Bangsal in Mojokerto famous for their wooden ship miniatures.
Habibie Afsyah, “Web Marketing Wizard” (SMS Code: DA 3)
At an early age, Habibie Afsyah (24) was diagnosed with Becker Muscular Dystrophy, a rare disorder that damaged his motoric nerves, preventing his body from normally developing.
Physical limitations, however, did not break Habibie's spirit. He studied online marketing, which does not require a lot of physical work, and he turned out to excel at selling goods online and managed to earn up to thousands of US Dollars every month.
Through the Habibie Afsyah Foundation, he continuously campaigns the ‘BeYour Self’ forum, where he shares his online marketing skills to other persons with disability. Moreover, Habibie also encourages the public to tap their potentials and become independent.
Joharipin, “Harvest Hero” (SMS Code: DA 4)
Joharipin (37) was born to a farmer's family in Jengkok Village, Kertasemaya Distict, Indramayu. As a farmer, he was significantly affected with the price of seeds and fertilizers, which have become increasingly expensive. Joharipin and other farmers in his area were forced to resort to loan sharks to pay for seeds and fertilizers.
To escape from this predicament, Joharipin did some research, resulting in the discovery of Bongong paddy seed, which is a result of cross-pollination between Kebo paddy and Longong paddy seeds. The Bongong paddy seed offers higher crop yield than normal seeds. Normal seeds yields up to 7 tons of crop, and the Bongong paddy seed yields up to 10 tons of crops.
At first, Joharipin only shared the Bongon paddy seeds with 30 people, but, as the productivity of his seeds become known, thousands of farmers requested seeds from him.
Bongong paddy seeds are now widely planted ― from Aceh to West Borneo and from Kudus to Lumajang. As farmers enjoy higher crop yield, their income, and therefore, welfare, increased as well.
Lale Alon Sari, “Weaving Warrior” (SMS Code: DA 5)
Poverty is no stranger to the women of Batu Jai Village, West Praya District, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Furthermore, health services are inadequate and the people's level of education is limited.
Starting in 1987, Lale Alon Sari (45) goes from one village to another to motivate the women to leave their current condition through Kembang Komak Women Care Alliance (AP2K). Lale chose empowerment through weaving skills which are mastered by the local women over generations. She gives training, brings in materials and provides marketing support by establishing and operating an art shop that sells the end product, which is traditional Lombok cloth.
She also founded the “Stagen” Women's Co-op for capital solution. This co-op gives lending and savings services to both prospective members and full-fledged members of the weaving group. Now, residents of Batu Jai Village can improve their welfare, and the 60 weaving groups at Batu Jai Village with its 600 women members can be more independent.
About Danamon:
PT Bank Danamon Indonesia Tbk. was established in 1956 and as of March 31, 2012 operates over 3,100 branches and points of sales, including its Danamon Simpan Pinjam (DSP) and Syariah units as well as its subsidiaries branches. As of March 31, 2012 Danamon provides its customers with access to over 30,000 ATMs, including through its association with ATM Bersama and ALTO, in all 33 provinces in Indonesia.
Danamon was recently awarded as Indonesian Bank Loyalty Champion 2012 from Infobank and Markplus Insight in the conventional bank with more than Rp 75 trillion in assets category. Danamon also received Indonesia Brand Champion 2012 and Indonesia Service to Care Champion 2012 awards from Marketers and Markplus Insight in the conventional bank with more than Rp75 trillion in assets category. Last year, Danamon placed third in the 2011 Annual Report Award (ARA) for the listed financial institution category.
From international institutions, Danamon received “Gold Award 2011” under category of Best Core Banking System Initiative, in the Asian Banking & Finance Banking Retail Awards 2011, hosted by Asian Banking & Finance Magazine (ABF).
Danamon is the sole issuer and acquirer of American Express® cards in Indonesia under an independent operator agreement which allows it to issue American Express cards to individual and corporate clients. Danamon is also the only bank which provides services to local merchants who accept American Express Cards and for signing up new merchant partners in Indonesia. Danamon is also the sole license holder of Manchester United cards in Indonesia, allowing the Bank to issue Manchester United ATM/Debit cards and credit cards.
PT Adira Dinamika Multi Finance Tbk (Adira), the automotive financing subsidiary of Danamon, operates an extensive branch network in more than 260 cities in Indonesia.
As of March 31, 2012, Danamon was 67.37% owned by Asia Financial (Indonesia) Pte. Ltd. and 32.63% by the public. On April 2, 2012, Danamon has been informed by Fullerton Financial Holdings Pte. Ltd., that it has entered into a share purchase agreement with DBS Group Holdings to sell its interest in the whole of the issued share capital of Asia Financial (Indonesia) Pte. Ltd. to DBS. The transaction is subject to the approvals, among others, of DBS shareholders and regulators in Singapore and Indonesia, including Bank Indonesia.