Empowering The Economy, Ministry of Social Affairs Helps Farming Pig and Installing Street Lighting for Jayapura Residents

JAYAPURA (June 1^st, 2023) – Ministry of Social Affairs continues to provide support for the people of Papua by giving various social empowerment programs. One of the purposes is to develop Papuan’s economic independence in order to get them out of the poverty line and no longer depend on assistance from the government.

When the Papuans are economically independent, they are expected to get give their children as high education as possible. Thus, there will be no more Papua children who drop out of school and they can live a better life.

“Honestly, I want your life, ladies and gentlemen, Mama Papa, to be better. Thus, we’re here to assist you,” Minister Risma says while she greets the residents in Muara Tami District, Jayapura City (May, 31^st). The Minister’s visit is a follow-up visit after Yapen.

The Minister states that everyone dreams of a better life. As parents, they surely want their children to be successful. To achieve it, parents need to improve their standard of living.

“Mama, Papa, why should you have a better life? So that you support your children’s education financially, so they can chase their dreams. I want to be a doctor. I want to be an engineer. You can do it, Mama. God is righteous. He never discriminates against who we are, where we come from. He gives everyone the right to succeed, including the children. Let them dream,” Minister Risma says to Muara Tami residents.

As well as in Yapen, social assistance is also distributed during Muara Tami’s visit. Minister Risma distributes social empowerment assistance to the residents in the form of a poultry farm.

“I’ve asked before because I need it fast. If I give you a pig farm, you can only raise the pigs. You can’t eat it. Thus, we give you poultry. The hens will lay eggs daily. You can sell it,” the Minister says.

The poultry farm is considered adequate to provide food security for the Papuans. Ministry of Social Affairs gives 800 laying hens in Muara Tami District worth Rp 313.297.600. 400 hens are given to Koya Koso, 100 hens for Skouw Yambe, 100 hens for Skouw Sae, 100 hens for Skouw Mabo, 100 hens for Muara Tami GKI Klasis.

“Considering that the recent egg demand reaches 20%, which was completely reliant on supply from Java before, I give you laying hens intensely. Recently, the demand is 80% fulfilled, only 20% left.  If the demand is met, there will be economic turnover in Papua,” Minister Risma says.

In addition to poultry farms, Ministry of Social Affairs also distributes 1000 pigs for farming and 1000 pairs of clothes. The Minister urges the beneficiaries of the poultry farm the hens and pigs will be able to produce livestock feed in the future. Many livestock farmers complain about how hard to get livestock feed because it is too expensive.

“We will hold training. Pastor Hiskia has already determined to make livestock feed independently,” the Minister says.

“We will facilitate the training. I have established cooperation with Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB) and some universities in Indonesia. Many of the students are ready to participate in this program,” she says.

In addition to social empowerment assistance, Ministry of Social Affairs also provides infrastructure assistance in the form of Solar Street Lighting (PJTUS). The Papuans will be able to use PJTUS as solar-powered lighting. By using PJTUS, economic turnover in the area will be greater because they can be productive at night. Besides, the children can also play without being obstructed by lighting.

“The main mission is to get them out of poverty. Why street lighting? So that there will be activities at night. If an area is only active until 04.00 or 05.00 p.m., the area will incur a loss. Why? Because there will be no economic activities from 06.00 p.m. until morning comes. Thus, we have to extend it. That is why the street lighting is installed. So that the people can trade after 05.00 p.m., and the children can also play,” the Minister says.

Pastor Hiskia Rollo, a Skouw public figure and also the vice chairman 1 of Tanah Papua Indonesian Christian Church (GKI) Synod, who also accompany Minister Risma in her visit to GKI Karmel Skouw Yambe, expresses his gratitude towards Minister Risma for the attention given to the Papuans.

“We, the people of the land of the rising sun should rise. The development should start from here. It will be too late if it’s started in the West. It’s too dark. Thank you for your assistance for the Papuans, Mama. On behalf of the nation’s children, Thank You,” Pastor Hiskia says to Mama Risma, a nickname given by the Papuans for the minister.

After leaving, Muara Tami District, Minister Risma takes time to have a discussion with the board of Jayapura Diocese directors about housing development for the earthquake victims in Jayapura Diocese Delso. The discussion takes place in Jayapura Diocese Office. They also discuss collaboration between Ministry of Social Affairs and Jayapura Diocese about social welfare programs implementation for the members of the Catholics Church in Papua Province, mainly related to natural/social disasters mitigation and food security for poor/underprivileged Papuans.

The minister invites the church to get involved by being social granaries, especially in Papua mountainous area which is difficult to reach when the disaster strikes. Churches’ involvement in the social assistance process could speed up assistance distribution to the people and make it easier.

After that, The Minister hands over the assistance for social granaries symbolically and economic empowerment online for the residents of Maybrat Regency, Papua Province. The assistance is provided in the form of rice, family kitchen appliances, instant seasonings, salted fish, instant noodles, sardines, and cassava worth Rp. 475.971.280 in total.

Economic empowerment assistance of 1.412 pigs is also distributed to the residents of Maybrat Regency. It’s worth Rp. 2.824.000.000. 1.000 pairs of clothes worth Rp. 125.000.000. are also distributed.

Abraham Wirotomo, Senior Expert of Presidential Staff Office, Special Advisor to the Minister of Social Affairs, and other officials of Ministry of Social Affairs, Jayapura Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkompinda), traditional authorities, and religious leaders also accompany the Minister.