Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Welfare Institutions Raise the Spirit of Life for Vulnerable Groups

JAKARTA (July 7, 2020) – It has been 3 months since the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation of the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs has carried out the mandate of handling displaced people affected by COVID-19 during the Large-Scale Social Restrictions (PSBB). Now the Ministry of Social Affairs continues to work with Social Welfare Institutions (LKS) as partners to raise the spirit of life for vulnerable groups after the PSBB or the so-called New Normal Era.

The Director General of Social Rehabilitation, Harry Hikmat, who oversees the handling of displaced residents affected by COVID-19, advised that in the New Normal Era, all LKS assisted communities must have awareness to live clean and healthy.

"Movement for Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS) would be one of the focuses of Social Rehabilitation Assistance activities in the community, make sure there is awareness about PHBS," he messaged to LKS who took part in dealing with displaced residents.

PHBS dissemination ssssupport was also provided by the Directorate of Child Social Rehabilitation who also provided PHBS Booklets for LKS. This has become a PHBS campaign media to avoid exposure to COVID-19.

In addition, LKS continues to support the implementation of Social Rehabilitation Assistance in the New Normal Era to fulfill basic needs by opening public kitchen for the community. Some of them are LKS Bhakti Nurul Iman which opened 4 public kitchens for 272 Beneficiaries (PM) and LKS Swara Peduli which opened independent public kitchens and distributed 337 boxed rice.

The Education Religion Be Entertainment (ERBE) foundation also did the same thing, which opened a public kitchen to meet the basic needs of the community, namely food needs. "Concrete humanitarian actions like this are needed by citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Harry.

The basic food assistance that was previously distributed by the Ministry of Social Affairs through LKS turned out to have left a mark on the heart of one of the PMs in the LKS Bhakti Nurul Iman fostered community. “I am grateful for everything that the Ministry of Social Affairs has given. I didn't think you would remember until your stomach needed, even this basic food I used as capital for selling rice uduk," said one of the PMs.

Social assistance for basic necessities from the Ministry of Social Affairs, one of the components of which is rice, is used as capital for selling Nasi Uduk and has been useful until now. Even though at that time he almost gave up because he couldn't make a living during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This creative idea emerged because he also had to rise from the economic downturn during the pandemic. He believes this assistance is a way for him and his family to survive and even restore their economy.

Social Rehabilitation Assistance in the New Normal Era continues to be intensively carried out by LKS. Social assistance for basic needs continues to be distributed to several scavenger communities, one of which is the Jatipadang Tower scavenger community, Pasar Minggu (4/7/20) assisted by LKS Bhakti Nurul Iman, the scavenger community at Sumur Klender Village assisted by LKS Swara Peduli and the community in Gang H. Saibun (5 /7/20).

Then the distribution of the President's basic food assistance of 547 packages was also carried out by LKS ERBE to several communities, namely the Rawadas Pondok Kopi scavenger community, Pondok Kelapa scavenger community and Kebon Duren Sawit village, East Jakarta (5/7/20).

LKS Kumala has also brought 11 street children from Pasar Permai to the community to fulfill their rights. We fulfilled their basic needs and also given empowerment in the form of cooking skills.

In the field of education, LKS is also present to produce quality human resources. LKS gives access to children with weak economies to be able to get an education. One of them is LKS Uswatun Hasanah which holds graduations for its foster children at the MI, SMP and SMA levels.

Gradually all LKS implemented the Social Rehabilitation Assistance (ATENSI) program which was reconstructed by the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation of the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. This program emphasizes the role of the family in the community in the social rehabilitation process.