The Ministry of Social Affairs Distributes Assistance to SMEs

JAKARTA (10 November 2020) – The Ministry of Social Affairs through the Directorate General of Social Protection and Security distributed 985 basic food packages to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)/Small Medium-Sized Industries (IKM) and the workers of the Pulo Gadung Small Industrial Village (PIK).

Advisor for the Dharma Wanita Persatuan (DWP) of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Grace Batubara, symbolically distributed assistance to 5 representatives of RW 10 at the Central Area Management Unit for the Development of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Settlements (UPK PPUMKMP) in Pulo Gadung, East Jakarta.

"We know that this pandemic is not over yet, while MSMEs have been greatly affected. The situation has become more difficult coupled with the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) due to COVID-19, so the income of industrial sectors is greatly affected," said Grace. 

Therefore, Grace continued, the 985 basic food packages distributed to 9 neighborhoods in the 10th Ward of PIK Pulo Gadung aim to ease the burden borne by IKM.

"The government, especially Mr Jokowi, certainly does not turn a blind eye to this because a lot of budgets has been disbursed to ramp up the national economy," said Grace.

Samsu Rizal Kadafi as Head of UPK PPUMKMP Pulo Gadung added that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was quite significant for 697 SMEs in PIK Pulo Gadung.

"Since the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia, many SME players have changed their direction to produce Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), hand sanitizers, face shields, masks and others. Some of them even received praise from the Ministry of Health,” Samsu explained.

Cici Suharni and Wasean (50), a husband and wife couple who are also entrepreneurs of all types of tailoring, are happy to receive assistance from the Ministry of Social Affairs.

"This assistance is beneficial for workers outside the region because during the pandemic they cannot go home for not having funds. The price of garments also dropped in the market, "said Cici.

Agreeing with Samsu's statement, Cici and Wasean admitted that they are currently receiving orders in the form of 24,000 masks for the elections in December. Employing 2 workers from outside the area, Cici's business is able to produce 200-300 masks per day.

"Hopefully, IKM will rise again so it can contribute to the economic recovery," Wasean hoped.

The event was attended by Sunarti as Director of Social Protection for Social Disaster Victims of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Nur Hidayat as Acting Head of the Trade, Cooperatives, and SMEs of DKI Jakarta, Sartono as Secretary of the Penggilingan Village, and Elisabeth Ratu Rante Allo as Head Sector of SME PPKUKM DKI Jakarta.