Basic Food Package Assistance from Ministry of Social Affairs Reaches Babelan Mas Permai Bekasi Residents and Special School Students

BEKASI (June 22nd 2020) - All Work Units within the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia continue to work hand in hand to distribute social assistance to residents affected by COVID-19. One of them was carried out by the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation to 155 residents of Babelan Mas Permai and 54 students of SLB-B Surya Wiyata, Bekasi.

The distribution of basic food social assistance as a result of refocusing budget at the Directorate of Social Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities was symbolically given by the Director General of Social Rehabilitation, Harry Hikmat.

"We came here to provide social assistance for basic food package while ensuring targeted distribution," said the Director General for Social Rehabilitation in his opening speech at the Secretariat Office of RW 09 Sasana Krida, Babelan Mas Permai, Bekasi.

The Director General of Social Rehabilitation advised the Bekasi Social Service, village officials and RT/RW to distribute the assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs to those entitled to receive it in the name of justice.

On this occasion, the Director of Social Rehabilitation for Persons with Disabilities, Eva Rahmi Kasim, said that Social Assistance is not only for people with disabilities. It can also be used for non-disabled people because they need it. Especially displaced people and other vulnerable groups.

Head of Kebalen Urban Village, Martan Hadi Wijaya, said that with the presence of COVID-19, people experiencing poverty have increased. "Social Assistance is very much awaited by our residents. So we are grateful to the ranks of the Ministry of Social Affairs," he said.

The Ministry of Social Affairs conveyed this basic food package assistance on the based on suggestions from the community through the Social Welfare Institutions (LKS) as partners. Then the Ministry of Social Affairs team validated the proposed data through sub-districts, RTs and RWs.

The Ministry of Social Affairs ensures that the recipients of this assistance have not received social assistance from other social assistance sources such as the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT).

The distribution of this basic food assistance went well. One of the social assistance recipients, Wastini, expressed her feelings when she received the basic food assistance. "I am very happy, Alhamdulillah. Thank you, the Ministry of Social Affairs for helping to reduce my burden," he said with a trembling tone and teary eyes.

Wastini also hopes that this assistance can continue during COVID-19. She found it difficult to make ends meet during COVID-19. Moreover, she is no longer young.

On this occasion, also attended the Head of Social Rehabilitation Division of Bekasi Regency Social Services, Chairman of RW 09 Babelan Mas Permai, the ranks of the Directorate of Social Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities and the Public Relations team of the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation.