Silver Teenager in the Embrace of "Handayani" Center Social Worker

JAKARTA (May 1st, 2020) – It is now 14.30 pm, but activities can still be seen at the Cengkareng Sports Center (GOR), West Jakarta. This place is used as a Temporary Shelter (TPS) by the DKI Jakarta Government in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs. This place is provided to pay special attention to street children, homeless people, beggars, and other Beneficiaries (PM) who are affected by COVID-19.

It seems that the officers are still checking the health of homeless people and beggars in Cengkareng Sports Center. They had to be taken to temporary shelters because they were still roaming on the streets even though the government issued a policy to stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of those who were placed at Cengkareng Sports Center is a 17-year-old teenager with the initials ‘AF’. When found by a social worker from the Handayani Children’s Center of the Ministry of Social Affairs, AF admitted that she was caught in a raid because she intended to earn money by becoming a “silver woman”.

“At that time, I was taking a break for a while after painting my body using silver paint mixed with body lotion and oil, but was immediately caught by Satpol PP (Civil Service Police Unit),” said AF when questioned by a social worker from Handayani Children’s Center.

AF admitted that it was her first time being a “silver woman”. She was tempted by the stories of her friends that being a silver woman could earn her 100 thousand rupiahs to 200 thousand rupiahs in one day. Previously, AF worked as an employee at a clothing store. However, due to the current pandemic situation, the store where she worked was closed, so she lost her job and income. This forced her to swerve to find another job. By becoming a silver woman, she thought she would be able to eat and pay for other necessities. Unfortunately, things did not go her way. The Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) rushed her to the temporary shelter at Cengkareng Sports Center, West Jakarta.

It should be noted that residents cannot stay at the TPS for long. The officers try to find the family of the PM who is at the TPS so they can be returned to the family. However, AF did not hope that her family would pick her up because she had lived alone for a long time. AF’s parents have been divorced a long time ago and are currently living with their new families. Meanwhile, AF lived with her grandmother since she was 3 years old until she decided to live independently in a boarding house she rented.

“I don’t expect anyone to pick me up, if someone picks up it must be my cousin or a distant relative. But I have no problem with that,” explained the second child of 4 siblings.

AF had been visited by her cousin, but she was not allowed to go home because her cousin did not bring complete proof that they were related. Hearing this, the social workers of Jakarta “Handayani” Children’s Center immediately conducted tracing on AF’s family. The social workers have high hopes that the teenager can return to her family.

On the following day (2/5/2020), two social workers managed to meet AF’s parents in Ciledug, Tangerang. At that time, the social workers met with the biological mother, grandmother, stepfather, and a relative of AF’s mother. The social workers explained the chronology and current condition of AF at Cengkareng Sports Center.

“I’m confused about taking care of AF, ma’am, I still have little kids and I also have to take care of her older sibling who are sick,” said AF’s mother.

AF has an older sibling who is mentally ill and two younger siblings, so her mother had to divide attention between AF and her three siblings. This made AF feels that she was neglected so she chose to live independently.

As an institution that protects children, Jakarta “Handayani” Children’s Center of the Ministry of Social Affairs is ready to accept AF if it is the last resort that can be done. However, the social workers continue to make efforts so that AF can be in the care of her family.

The social workers keep in touch with AF’s family so that they can fully provide care to AF. The communication is successful. AF’s maternal family is willing to take care of AF, and her biological father is also willing to pick her up so she can reunite with her mother and siblings.

To the social workers, AF admitted that she gave up working on the streets. She hopes that when she returns home later, she wants to continue her education which had been interrupted.

“I want to go back to school ma’am, hopefully I can take the High School Equivalency Test,” said AF. AF is planned to be picked up shortly. The Handayani Children’s Center social worker keeps in touch with AF’s family to ensure that AF’s repatriation plan can be done properly.

Although AF will later be returned to family care, the social workers in “Handayani” Children’s Center will still provide assistance if necessary to AF and her family.