Ministry of Social Affairs Prepares Temporary Shelter for Vulnerable Groups

JAKARTA (April 29th, 2020) - Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P. Batubara, gave instructions to provide Temporary Shelter (TPS) for street children, homeless people, and beggars, as well as other Beneficiaries (PM) affected by COVID-19. Therefore, the Director General of Social Rehabilitation, Harry Hikmat, held a coordination meeting with various related stakeholders.

“The Social Affairs Minister has assigned us to provide Temporary Shelter (TPS). This place will be used for 3 months,” said the Director General of Social Rehabilitation. The priority locations for TPS are in DKI Jakarta and Bekasi.

The provision of TPS is an effort of the Ministry of Social Affairs to pay special attention to vulnerable groups to survive in this pandemic. Some of the types of TPS provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs are the Jakarta “Mulya Jaya” Center, Jakarta “handayani” Children Center, Jakarta “Bambu Apus” Drug Abuse Center, Bekasi “Budhi Dharma” Center for the Elderly, Bekasi “Tan Miyat” Blind Center, and Bekasi “Pangudi Luhur” Ex-Homeless and Beggars Center.

People affected by COVID-19 who do not receive social aid from the government for the homes of the poor and vulnerable, such as homeless people, jobless people, those who are helpless in facing difficulties in life (people with disabilities), and people who are hopeless and stressed out are the target to occupy the TPS. Social actions that will be carried out by all parties are reaching, offering, picking up, accomodating, and collecting to utilize the TPS.

In addition to social action, PMs will receive social services such as fulfillment of basic needs, namely clothes, food, beds, clean water facility supplies, worship place, and disinfectant supplies.

Ministry of Social Affairs will also provide health and psychosocial services in the form of rapid tests and vitamin supplies, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) supplies such as masks, hand sanitizer, and gloves, education on social distancing and physical distancing, as well as social psychological therapy, sports, arts, mental and spiritual.

This effort can be realized if there is synergy and collaboration between other stakeholders, which are government officials (Ministry of Social Affairs, Social Service, social workers, Social Workers Service Unit, social counsellor workers, and facilitators) and communities consisting of Disaster Response Team, Social Welfare Institutions (LKS), Indonesian Child Protection Commission (LPAI), National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA), Sub-district Social Welfare Workers (TKSK),Youth Organization, and Social Volunteers. “we ask for support and cooperation from all parties. Our centers will also play an optimal role,” said the Director General of Social Rehabilitation to all stakeholders who were present at the meeting.

Head of the DKI Jakarta Province Social Service, Irmansyah, conveyed that currently he had made outreach efforts. “As of now, 173 PM in DKI Jakarta have been assessed. We immediately took them to the nearest TPS that have been provided,” he said. Several TPS have been provided in DKI Jakarta, namely Tanah Abang Sports Center in Central Jakarta, Cengkareng Sports Center in West Jakarta, Ciracas Sports Center in East Jakarta, Tanjung Priok Sports Center in North Jakarta, and Pasar Minggu Sports Center in South Jakarta.

On this occasion, Head of Indonesian Child Protection Commission (LPAI), Seto Mulyadi, said that they have Tataka (Love for Children) activity, which is giving gifts to children and providing motivation through songs. “With this meeting, we will be integrated. We are ready to attend any sports center that has children element for us to motivate,” said the head of LPAI.

Several inputs were also conveyed by the Technical Staff of the Minister of Social Affairs for Social Empowerment, Restu Hapsari, to complete the flow of how the people or the referenced community could access the services built. Furthermore, a more detailed job description is also needed for the social pillars involved at the location to facilitate coordination. Finally, strengthen coordination between the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Jakarta Social Service.

The efforts of the Ministry of Social Affairs received appreciation from the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK). “Hopefully, the services provided will not only fulfill basic needs, but also psychosocial services,” said Ade Rustama, Deputy Assistant for Disability and Elderly of Kemenko PMK.

After carrying out the meeting which was attended by 63 participants, the Director General of Social Rehabilitation immediately followed up some of the inputs given. The Director General of Social Rehabilitation directed the Secretary of the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation, Directors, and Heads of the Center to prepare shift system to represent 5 Zoning in DKI Jakarta and 1 Zoning in Bekasi. This is to monitor the progress of the treatment at each TPS.

The Director General of Social Rehabilitation also instructed each zoning coordinator to check the development of TPS every day. Every sport centers are checked and a special room is prepared for isolation, Breastfeeding Mothers, and People with Mental Disorders (ODGJ) if any.

Assesment of facilities and infrastructure is also important. “Make sure that PPE is used in Centers and Sports Centers, such as masks, hand sanitizer, disinfectant, and hand soap,” concluded the Director General of Social Rehabilitation.