3,000 Families in Karawang Receive Rice Aid from the Ministry of Social Affairs

Writer :

Alif Mufida Ulya (OHH Ditjen Linjamsos)

Editor :

Alek Triyono (OHH Ditjen Linjamsos) ; Annisa YH

Translator :

Karlina Irsalyana

KARAWANG (August 6, 2021) - The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many residents due to loss of livelihoods or decreased income, especially during the Emergency Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in Java-Bali.

To help ease the burden on residents, the Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismaharini, provided rice assistance to 3,000 residents of five kilograms each in Karawang Regency. This assistance targets residents outside the beneficiaries of the Family Hope Program (PKH), Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT), or Cash Social Assistance (BST).

One resident in Karawang Kulon Village, West Karawang District, Irawati, who also owns a fried chicken rice stall business, for example, is not a recipient of the Ministry of Social assistance program. After his business was affected, she became a recipient of five kilograms of rice assistance distributed through the local Social Service.

“I have a fried chicken rice stall, where at first I could cook 11 to 12 liters of rice per day, now I only cook a maximum of 3 liters of rice. Thank God, I am grateful, this rice donation means a lot to me during this PPKM period,” said Ira, her nickname, after receiving the rice aid.

She revealed that her shop used to be very busy with buyers, especially office workers in the West Karawang District area, from morning to evening, especially during lunch hours. However, she is starting to feel the impact, especially since the implementation of Emergency PPKM in the Karawang Regency area.

"During this PPKM, my income has dropped tremendously, because my previous subscriptions were mostly from workers in offices around here, around my house, now, reportedly many have been laid off, " she complained.

Before PPKM, she continued, her income could reach Rp800-900 thousand per day. "Since this PPKM, at most it's only IDR 350 thousand. But, at least, I already have a place to rent. So, whatever I get, I'll just be grateful," added this mother of five children.

In line with Irawati, another recipient of rice aid, Darsono, whose address is not far from Irawati's house also felt the same impact. Relying on the income from the grocery shop he and his wife manage, he finds it helpful to receive rice assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs.

"I thank you for getting five kilos of rice from the Ministry of Social Affairs, which I really need because my stall is now a bit deserted," he said.

Darsono admitted that most of the buyers were dominated by school children. However, because the teaching and learning process has been carried out online from home since 2020, school children are starting to rarely come to buy snacks from their stalls.

"Yes, starting with last year's COVID-19, 2020, it's been quiet. In the past, most of the buyers were from school children. For school children, some of them buy snacks. Now, no one goes to school, so no one buys anything until now it is still quiet,” he said.

The COVID-19 pandemic, plus the Emergency PPKM, he said, was only able to get less than Rp. 200 thousand per day. "So it hasn't been cut, used for eating, as well as other needs. So, when I found out I got this rice aid, Alhamdulillah, thank you, thank you very much," he said.

Make sure the recipient data is clear

Meanwhile, the Regent of Karawang, Cellica Nurrachadiana, ensures that there is no duplicate data on recipients of five kilograms of rice aid in the area she leads. This is following the direction of the Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismaharini, to local governments in all regencies/cities to organize data collection as well as possible so that it is clear.

"We make sure that with the five kilograms of rice in Karawang, there is no duplication of data collection. The Minister of Social Affairs asked us to immediately determine the Candidates for Recipient and the Candidates for Location (CPCL) at that time, data collection for those who have not been included in the three types of assistance programs provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs," she explained.

According to her, the aim is none other than to avoid overlapping aid recipients which often becomes a problem in the field. Furthermore, to avoid this, she also monitored the distribution process with the distribution target being completed within two weeks with the help of social pillars, such as PKH Facilitators, District Social Welfare Workers (TKSK), and Community Social Workers (PSM).

"Alhamdulillah, it was smooth and orderly (distribution). Insha Allah, our target is for the second week of August to complete 100% of the distribution of rice to 3,000 recipients in all sub-districts in Karawang Regency," she concluded.

2021-08-07
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