Response to COVID-19, "Darussa'adah" Children's Center Monitoring the Distribution of Cash Social Assistance (BST)

BANDA ACEH (13 May 2020) – The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs through the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of the Social Rehabilitation Workshop for Children in Need of Special Protection (LRSAMPK) "Darussa'adah" in Aceh conducted monitoring at the Banda Aceh Post Office where Cash Social Assistance (BST) is distributed.

The BST program is a government policy mandated by the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs as a response to the impact of COVID-19 on the community. The process of distributing BST is carried out in collaboration with PT. Pos Indonesia, which was carried out at the KPRK Post Office (Checking Branch Post Office) Banda Aceh.

According to the Head of LRSAMPK "Darussa'adah" in Aceh, Darmanto, one of the objectives of the BST program is to help maintain people's purchasing power during the COVID-19 pandemic. This assistance was provided for three months with details of each Beneficiary Family (KPM) receiving Rp. 600 thousand.

"During the pandemic, many sectors of the informal economy were affected. Incomes fell, the purchasing power of daily necessities fell, so the government gave BST programs," he concluded.

The incoming data was 144,905 KPM from the 200 thousand quota set by the Ministry of Social Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. These numbers come from 21 districts and cities in Aceh. Assistance was distributed via the Post Branch Offices spread in seven regions: Banda Aceh Post Office, Meulaboh, Tapaktuan, Sigli, Lhokseumawe, Langsa, and Kutacane.

"The BST program will be distributed in three stages, the first stage is still ongoing, the second stage will be distributed in early June and the third stage will be distributed in early July this year," said the Head of PT. Banda Aceh KPRK post Fendi Anjasmara. According to Fendi, the first phase of the BST program has been going on since May 8, 2020 and the target is to be completed on H-1 Eid. The realization of the BST program in Aceh as of 12 May 2020, has reached 12 percent or as many as 17,686 KPM who have taken BST.

One of the KPM in Banda Aceh Hafsah, expressed his gratitude to the government and the Ministry of Social Affairs and PT. Pos Indonesia because it has provided BST assistance, he feels very helped by the BST program to meet basic needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has decreased his income.