Community Microloans
Small loans to help coastal entrepreneurs build locally owned businesses.
Meet Ifan
My name is Ifan, and I live on Tello Island with my family. I have spent much of my life working as an octopus fisherman, and the ocean and islands are an important part of our way of life.
I am working to build new opportunities for myself and my family while sharing a small part of Tello with people who visit our islands. Your support helps me continue building a better future for my family and community.
Bahasa Indonesia
Nama saya Ifan, dan saya tinggal di Pulau Tello bersama keluarga saya. Sebagian besar hidup saya, saya bekerja sebagai nelayan gurita. Laut dan pulau-pulau di sekitar kami adalah bagian penting dari kehidupan kami.
Saya sedang berusaha membangun peluang baru untuk diri saya dan keluarga saya, sekaligus berbagi sedikit tentang Tello dengan orang-orang yang datang mengunjungi pulau kami. Dukungan Anda membantu saya untuk terus membangun masa depan yang lebih baik bagi keluarga dan masyarakat saya.
A locally owned business in the Telo Islands
MRM is working with Ifan, an octopus fisherman in Indonesia’s Telo Islands, to develop a small souvenir business alongside his fishing work. The pilot connects locally woven hats with embroidered Pulau Telo patches, giving visitors a way to take home something connected to the islands and the people who live there.
Local makers supply the hats, while Ifan organizes inventory and sales to visiting surfers and travelers. Startup support helps cover the materials and stock needed to get the business going.
How the pilot loan works
0% interest: the startup loan carries no interest.
Repayment from sales: 10% of sales is set aside for monthly repayment of the initial investment.
Keeping the business stocked: 50% of each sale is saved to purchase replacement inventory.
The approach keeps the business locally operated and ties repayment to sales as the pilot develops.
Pilot update · October 2026
The first patch delivery did not match the custom design ordered. Resolving that order and arranging the correct patches are part of the next stage. The priority is to establish reliable inventory and document costs, sales, and repayments as the business develops.
What comes next
Alongside the souvenir business, Ifan and MRM are exploring locally guided snorkeling and traditional dugout canoe excursions. These remain opportunities to develop, drawing on Ifan’s knowledge of the islands and ocean.
Our related beach cleanup effort has its own focus: collecting, sorting, recording, and finding workable routes for recycling and disposal. Learn about the Marine Debris project.
Support Community Microloans
Your donation supports MRM’s Community Microloans work. You are making a charitable contribution to the program, rather than lending directly to a borrower. Choose a one-time or recurring contribution in the form below. Review the donation frequency and optional fee coverage before continuing, or contact us to discuss supporting the pilot.