Reviewing Pokmas in Ciracas, Gus Ipul Tasted Meal Package for Elderly and Person with Disability

CIRACAS (October 7, 2024) - Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, who is familiarly called Gus Ipul, visited one of the Community Groups (Pokmas) in Ciracas District, East Jakarta on Monday (07/10/2024). Gus Ipul's arrival was to directly review the process of making food assistance for elderly and person with disability living alone in Ciracas District area. The members of Pokmas Ciracas seemed happy to welcome Gus Ipul, especially when Gus Ipul sat on the floor with the women who were weeding vegetables and tasted their cooking.

“This is delicious. The rating is 8, if it's warm, it's nine,” said Gus Ipul praising the dishes he had tried.

Pokmas Ciracas Barokah has managed meal program for elderly and person with disability living alone since 2022. The community group has distributed food assistance to 100 elderly people and 290 people with disabilities in Ciracas District. Each beneficiary receives two meal packages daily with a menu that has been arranged by a nutritionist from the Puskemas so that the nutritional content is balanced.

The two meal packages are breakfast and lunch, with different menus each day. Each meal package is worth IDR 15,000. Especially for the elderly, the side dishes must be cooked so that they can be easily consumed by the elderly.

Gus Ipul emphasized that food hygiene and quality are things that must be prioritized. Therefore, he appreciates the community group members who wear masks and gloves when preparing and processing food.

“Every day it has to be like this. Keep it clean and delicious, not just because I come,” said Gus Ipul, who was agreed by the members of the Ciracas Barokah Pokmas.

Every day, members of the Ciracas Barokah Pokmas are tireless in preparing meals. Usually, they shop at the local market at night and start preparing and processing the dishes at 3 am the next morning. The whole process of weeding, cooking, and packing the food aid must be completed in the morning. The drivers start distributing the meals to the beneficiaries' homes at 7:30 am by motorcycles.

Not only delivering the meals, these drivers also have to take pictures of the beneficiaries with the aid they receive and report them through the SIKS-MA application (Social Welfare Information System-Management Assistance). This aims to maintain accountability for the management of meal program.

Head of the Ciracas Disability Pokmas Barokah Lenih (55) was very happy that Gus Ipul came directly to review the Pokmas she leads. “Very happy. Very proud to be visited by the Minister. Hopefully, it will be more successful and blessed again,” Lenih said proudly.