Ministry of Social Affairs Targets One Million PKH Recipients Integrated by 2020

JAKARTA (July 16, 2019) - The government is targeting one million Family Beneficiaries (KPM) of the Integrated Family Hope Program (PKH) in 2020.

"This target setting is in line with President Joko Widodo's determination to continue to reduce poverty in Indonesia," Social Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

As is known the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced the poverty rate in March 2019 was at 9.41 percent or down 0.41% points from March 2018.

BPS recorded the number of poor people (residents with per capita expenditure per month below the poverty line) in March 2019 was 25.14 million people. In March 2018, the number of poor people reached 25.95 million.

"Of course we welcome the reduction in poverty. Along with the reduction in poverty, the Ministry of Social Affairs also continues to make various efforts to reduce poverty, one of which is to realize the graduation target of one million KPM PKH by 2020," explained the Minister.

To reach the graduation target, he continued, the Ministry of Social Affairs strengthened the role of PKH Companion through capacity building and quality of PKH Human Resources (HR). PKH HR is all PKH implementers in the field consisting of PKH Assistance, City Coordinator, Regency Coordinator, etc.

"Improving the quality of PKH HR has become a necessity to be able to guide PKPM KPM so that more and more are integrated," said the Minister.

The Minister added that one of the efforts to increase the capacity of PKH HR was to provide opportunities for them to study abroad as the Ministry of Social Affairs had recently done.

"One of our efforts to improve the ability of PKH HR is like yesterday we sent 10 PKH HR to the Philippines," he added.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Social Affairs also improved the quality of the Family Development Session (FDS) module which is a guide for PKH HR in providing guidance and assistance for KPM PKH. Modules consist of the Education and Childcare Module, the Financial Management and Business Planning Module, the Health and Nutrition Module, the Child Protection Module.

"PKH is a National Program backbone. Now PKH is increasingly developing, so FDS becomes a strategic instrument to encourage the independence of KPM until one day it will be integrated with PKH," said the Minister.

FDS activities are activities that must be carried out by PKH HR related to the importance of the first 1000 lives, nutrition of pregnant women and prenatal care, breastfeeding and health services after pregnancy, overcoming illness and environmental health (washing hands, cleaning latrines, providing clean water, etc.), accessibility to the Healthy Indonesia Program / Indonesia Sehat Card, supplementary feeding.

The next effort, the Minister continued, collaborated with the Ministry of Industry to provide training to KPM PKH in order to become entrepreneurs such as providing training in welding and processing bamboo and food crafts.

Head of the Public Relations Bureau of the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs

Sonny W. Manalu