Small Steps for Coastal Children Toward a Brighter Financial Future

Kepulauan Seribu (June 2, 2025) – The spirit of financial education has set sail to Indonesia’s coastal regions. Held at MIN 17 Pulau Panggang, Kepulauan Seribu, PT Jalin Pembayaran Nusantara (“Jalin”), in collaboration with state-owned holding company Danareksa, launched the Finansial Berlayar di Kepulauan Seribu program—a Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility (CSER) initiative providing financial learning experiences to 115 elementary school students.

Children in coastal areas grow up in environments that shape them into independent individuals, close to nature, and used to supporting their families from an early age. Understanding these characteristics, Jalin introduced a simple, interactive, and relevant learning approach—covering topics such as the importance of saving, differentiating between needs and wants, and understanding the risks of online gambling (increasingly prevalent among teens).

This knowledge is intended to lay a foundation for healthy financial habits and help them enter the digital financial ecosystem in a safer, more informed, and confident manner.

In addition to financial education support, the program is part of the SEMAR Edukasi (Mandiri and Asri Schools) evaluation initiative launched by Danareksa in 2024. MIN 17 Pulau Panggang is one of the schools that benefited from this program, including classroom renovations and improved learning facilities. The team also visited SMKN 61 Pulau Tidung, which previously received support for dormitory development.

The evaluation aims to ensure that contributions made continue to create long-term positive impacts on education progress in the islands.

Addressing the Literacy and Inclusion Gap

This activity was not merely a visit, but a concrete manifestation of Jalin’s commitment to addressing the national challenge of financial literacy. Based on the latest 2025 National Financial Literacy and Inclusion Survey (SNLIK), Indonesia’s financial inclusion index has reached 80.51 percent, yet the financial literacy rate is still at 66.46 percent. The 14.05 percent gap highlights that while access to financial services is widening, understanding how to manage them remains a shared challenge.

Moreover, the survey showed that the higher the level of education, the better the financial literacy and inclusion rates. University graduates recorded a literacy rate of 90.63 percent and an inclusion rate of 99.10 percent. Meanwhile, those who are unschooled or only completed elementary school still lag far behind, with literacy rates at 43.20 percent and 54.50 percent, and inclusion at 56.95 percent and 68.06 percent, respectively.

These findings reinforce the importance of building financial understanding from an early age, particularly in areas with limited access to education. By expanding education to coastal regions, Jalin aims to strengthen the foundations of financial literacy and prepare communities to thrive in a digital financial ecosystem.

This initiative is aligned with Jalin’s vision as “The National Digital Highway”, which is not only about providing payment system infrastructure, but also actively bridging communities—including those in island and coastal areas—toward a broader, more inclusive, and sustainable digital financial ecosystem through education.

Financial Literacy for All: From Coastal Children to Friends with Disabilities

Aligned with its spirit of inclusivity, Jalin consistently initiates various financial literacy programs targeting diverse communities, including:

• Inclusion Adventure at BI Museum (2024) – An inclusive financial education experience for persons with disabilities.
• SPEKTA (Special End-of-Year Juwara Gathering) 2024 – A financial literacy and MSME empowerment program in collaboration with Bukalapak.
• Cashless Society Acceleration Training with Netzme and the DKI Jakarta Office of Cooperatives, SMEs, and Trade through digital literacy for MSMEs (2023).

Each initiative is designed to reach often-overlooked groups in the financial ecosystem, ensuring no one is left behind in Indonesia’s digital transformation journey.

Jalin believes that building financial literacy and inclusion is not a one-party mission. It requires cross-sector collaboration between government, industry, associations, and educational institutions to ensure financial education is evenly and sustainably delivered.

Through strong collaboration, people from all walks of life—including children from small islands—can be connected to a broad, secure, and competitive digital financial ecosystem.