Jakarta. State-owned bank BNI recently took home a corporate social responsibility (CSR) award for its tourist village development program.

BNI is trying to empower local communities in tourist villages through its so-called Kawasan Wisata Anak Negeri (Kawan) BNI initiative.

This Kawan BNI program has been in place since 2022 across Indonesia's "super priority destinations", among others, Marinsow Village (North Sulawesi), West Nusa Tenggara (Kuta Mandalika Village), and East Nusa Tenggara (Cunca Wulang Village).

BNI earlier this week won Republika's 2023 CSR award for the Tourism Development category. This award recognizes the initiative's ability to harness tourism potential.

According to BNI's human capital and compliance director Mucharom, Kawan BNI is one of the bank's community development initiatives to bolster human capital quality and the community's economy. 

BNI has also expanded the program's reach beyond the super-priority destinations by involving the bank's 17 regional offices across the archipelago.

"[Kawan BNI] aims to motivate the people in tourist villages to develop the region's potential and spur their creativity," Mucharom was quoted as saying in a recent press statement.

The Kawan BNI program is capable of spurring the villagers' economy and giving exposure to the village's businesses.

"BNI will also regularly mentor the Kawan BNI villages to enhance their capacity and skills, through the networks of BNI's branches," Mucharom said.

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