Social Assistance for Religious Community Affected by COVID-19

JAKARTA (May 10, 2020) - Ministry of Social Affairs involved religious community to channel the president's basic food aid to residents affected by COVID-19 outbreak.

Director General of Social Empowerment, Edi Suharto, said that 362 packages of basic food packages were given to the Church, Mosque, and affected residents of COVID-19 who had not yet received basic food assistance from the central government or DKI Jakarta government in the area of ​​RW 07, Cipinang sub-district, Pulo Gadung sub-district , East Jakarta.

"Today we are trying to find communities that have not been noticed by social assistance from the DKI government or the central government. This afternoon we are working with the Head of RW and involving TKSK and community pillars to find the affected community groups of COVID-19 that have not been helped. As we said before to the Church community, Church cleaners who have not been able to get help. Then to the Mosque there is a Mosque marbot that we help, "explained Edi Suharto when met at the delivery of basic food aid at RW 07, Cipinang sub-district, East Jakarta, today.

The delivery of basic food aid symbolically carried out at three points, namely the Protestant Church in Western Indonesia (GPIB) Torsina East Jakarta, Al Muqorrobin Mosque, and Balai RW 07 Kelurahan Cipinang, East Jakarta.

Head of the GPIB Pastor Church Assembly Evie Pattiasina said that she is happy and very grateful to get help from the government given the existence of the Church which is located in a small alley.

"I am very grateful to receive this assistance. Even though our Church is located in a small alley, we still get the attention of the government," said Evie.

Edi Suhato hopes that during the COVID-19 pandemic we can all work together and unite to provide assistance to affected communities so that affected community groups can feel the presence of the government in overcoming problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The assistance of the president's food packages was worth 600,000 rupiah per month which was distributed twice a month for 3 months, namely April, May and June 2020.