Minister of Social Affairs Gives Two Peace Pioneers Awards

YOGYAKARTA (October 16, 2019) - Social Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita gave awards to two Pioneers of Peace at the Peak of the Ten Years of Social Welfare Workers for the District (TKSK) in the Court of Prambanan Temple, Yogyakarta, Wednesday.

"The two people who received the award are Yason Yikwa and Titus Kogoya," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

Yason Yikwa (52) is a pastor, a resident of Dokoku Village, Kubiki District, Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Province. He helped evacuate around 300 immigrants into the Panorama Baptist Church in Phike during the rioting that occurred on Monday morning, September 23. When the rioters asked the residents inside the church to leave immediately, Yason still tried to keep the residents inside the church and met the rioters to negotiate. Based on these negotiations, the immigrant community who were in the courtyard of the Panorama Baptist Church finally left the church compound safely.

Meanwhile, Titus Kogoya (45), a Civil Servant (PNS) for the Government of Tolikora Regency, is a resident of Mawampi Village, Wesaput District, Jayawijaya Regency, Papua Province. When the September 29 riots occurred, Titus and a number of youths confronted the rioters at the entrance to their village. He even made his family's house a place for 80 immigrants to seek refuge. He said that most of the migrant residents were like his own brothers.

"The heroic rescue efforts made by Yason and Titus deserve the highest appreciation. They move to help residents regardless of ethnicity, religion and race, they are even willing to sacrifice their lives for the safety of residents," continued the Minister of Social Affairs.

The awarding of the Peace Pioneer Award was one of a series of events commemorating the 10th Birthday (HUT) of the District Social Welfare Workers (TKSK) held on 14-17 October 2019 in Yogyakarta.

"I hope that the commemoration of the Tenth Anniversary of TKSK will become a momentum to re-enhance the implementation of the values ​​of social volunteerism and social solidarity in the life of society, nation and state," said the Minister of Social Affairs.

One decade of TKSK, he continued, has the meaning of anniversary celebration as well as a moment of strengthening the implementation of social services to people in need. TKSK as a social volunteer has so far assisted efforts to organize social welfare at the sub-district level.

"Therefore, I express my gratitude and pride to TKSK for being the spearhead in social action and being the main force in helping others, helping the community, helping the government, local governments in solving social problems," he continued.

The event which was attended by 700 TKSK from all over Indonesia was filled with National Insight Workshops, blood donors, competitions and poster exhibitions about community movements coordinated by TKSK in all regions in Indonesia, distribution of leaflets and merchandise for the community, social services for the need for social welfare services and distribution equipment for street vendors, a pilgrimage to the Kusuma Negara Yogyakarta National Heroes Cemetery (TMPN), healthy walks for elderly, tree planting, cleaning houses of worship and the environment, as well as the highlight of TKSK's anniversary: ​​dialogue and folk art performances.

Present at the peak even the RI DPR Commission VIII event were Ali Taher and Ace Hasan Sadzly, Secretary General Hartono Laras, Inspector General Dadang Iskandar, Director General of Social Empowerment Pepen Nazaruddin, Director General of Social Protection and Security Harry Hikmat, Head of Education, Research and Social Counseling Agency Syahabuddin, Senior Advisor of the Minister of Social Affairs Sonny W. Manalu and Harry Soeratin, Special Staff of the Minister of Social Affairs Neil Iskandar and Febri Hendri, Senior Advisor of the Minister as well as leaders and figures of Community Organizations and Social Pillars.

For information, TKSK is one of the elements of social volunteers formed by Karang Taruna in 2009 to help organize social welfare at the sub-district level after the existence of the District Social Workers (PSK) was abolished. TKSK was formed based on the Decree of the Director General of Social Empowerment Number 245/PS.3/KPTS/X/2009 concerning District Social Welfare Workers dated 9 October 2009. At that time there were 5,264 TKSK spread throughout Indonesia. Currently the number on TKSK has grown to 7,201 people, referring to the Regulation on the Minister of Home Affairs concerning Codes and regional data throughout Indonesia.

 
Working Visit to BBPPKS Yogyakarta

Prior to the Peak of the One Decade of TKSK Event, the Minister of Social Affairs and his entourage visited the Social Welfare Training and Education Center for Regional III Yogyakarta. The visit was aimed at coordinating performance through dialogue in the Family Development Session (FDS) Education and Training Capacity Building activities for Social Assistance for the Family Hope Program (PKH).

"This activity is a series of efforts by the Ministry of Social Affairs to create qualified social welfare Human Resources to run social assistance programs, especially PKH Social Companions," said the Minister of Social Affairs

Furthermore, the Minister of Social Affairs emphasized that participants were given education and training so that they would be more professional in serving the Beneficiary Families (KPM).

The event was attended by the UPT Head of the Ministry of Social Affairs for the Yogyakarta and Central Java regions, employees in the Yogyakarta BBPPKS environment, Yogyakarta BBPPKS Work partners, Independent Graduated KPM, PKH Social Companions, PKH Social Companioes of FDS Training Participants.

 
Acting Head of Public Relations Bureaue RI Ministry of Social Affairs
Sonny W Manalu