Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf Provides IDR 650 Billion in Assistance to Thousands of Scavengers in Bantargebang, Bekasi

Bekasi (September 30, 2024) - Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf handed over assistance IDR 650,050,643,833 to 2,055 vulnerable communities around the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Processing Site (TPST), Bekasi City, West Java, Monday (September 30, 2024).

The value of the assistance is in the form of 2,055 Social Rehabilitation Assistance (ATENSI) packages of personal protective equipment such as helmets, boat shoes, flashlights, and nutrition.  There are also 389 ATENSI packages to fulfill basic needs (such as basic necessities), 44 ATENSI units of disability aids (wheelchairs, hearing aids, adaptive walking sticks), 14 ATENSI entrepreneurship packages (grocery stores, livestock, fisheries, and baking), 49 sports and education equipment packages, 135,241 Beneficiary Families (KPM) of the Family Hope Program (PKH), and Basic Necessities Program assistance for 58,051 KPM.

Gus Ipul symbolically handed over the assistance to the Bekasi City Government, represented by Alexander Zulkarnain, Head of the Bekasi City Social Office in the yard of the Sumurbatu Urban Village office, Bekasi City. "We provide all this assistance to support the welfare of scavengers in Bantargebang," said the minister, who is familiarly called Gus Ipul.

Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA), said Gus Ipul, is committed to providing access and facilities to meet the basic needs of the Bekasi City community, especially scavengers at the Bantargebang TPST who are included in the vulnerable group.

For example, personal protective equipment assistance can protect the body from nails, glass, and other dangerous objects. "So that you are safe when looking for a living here," said Gus Ipul.

On that occasion, Gus Ipul took more time to have a dialogue with the scavengers to hear their aspirations. One of the scavenger representatives asked the government to provide BPJS Health for them.

Gus Ipul said the government is committed to providing BPJS Health assistance, even BPJS Employment. He asked scavengers from Bekasi City to apply directly to the local government.

"If there are those outside Bekasi, they can apply to MoSA through the Health Insurance Contribution Assistance Beneficiaries (PBI-JK) program," said Gus Ipul.

On that occasion, Param, one of the scavengers expressed his gratitude to Gus Ipul for the assistance and facilitating the making of his ID card. "After I get this ID card, I want to apply for BPJS Health," said Param.

 Through the assistance of the Ministry of Social Affairs' Social Rehabilitation Assistance (ATENSI), scavengers who do not yet have one will be facilitated to have an ID Card and other required population administration documents. "So, this ID card can be used as it should be. If you don't have an ID card, you won't be able to get assistance," said Gus Ipul when handing over the ID card to Sariani, another scavenger.

Sariani is a scavenger who works and lives around Bantargebang TPST area. She comes from South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, and does not yet have an ID card. Based on the results of the field review, many of the scavengers who work at Bantargebang TPST do not yet have population documents. Not a few of them are also immigrants from outside Bekasi City.

Gus Ipul also emphasized the importance of education for the children of scavengers. Through education can bring the scavenger's family out of poverty.

To the hundreds of scavengers present, Gus Ipul asked about their willingness to send their children to school.  The scavengers answered in unison that they wanted to send their children to higher education.

"The principle is that there is nothing that cannot be done, it must be done," Gus Ipul emphasized when motivating the scavengers to send their children to higher education.

According to Gus Ipul, three targets are his focus in assisting scavengers at Bantargebang TPST. "They are education, health, and empowerment," said Gus Ipul.

These three things are expected to bring a family, especially a scavenger family, to be more prosperous. (*)