Jakarta (7 October 2023) – Ministry of Social Affairs (MoSA) distributes food worth IDR 30,000 for two meals a day to persons with disabilities and those vulnerable to disabilities.  This food distribution has been ongoing since 2022 and in 2023 it is targeted that 33,774 persons with disabilities (PwDs) and vulnerable to disabilities will receive it.

 "The distribution of food for the period July to December 2023 is IDR 186 billion," said Head of Administration Sub-Division of Directorate of Social Rehabilitation for PwDs, Risnandar, Friday (6/10) in Jakarta.

Food assistance is a form of fulfilling the basic needs of PwDs in Indonesia.  This effort constitutes the mainstreaming of PwDs whose progress will be evaluated at the ASEAN High Level Forum (AHLF) on Enabling Disability Inclusive Development and Partnership beyond 2025 that will be held on 10-12 October 2023 in Makassar.

This food assistance for PwDs is following Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini's concern for PwDs who are still many, vulnerable, neglected and living in poverty.  They also still experience discrimination and many other things so that they have difficulty getting basic rights such as food.

PwDs and those vulnerable to disabilities who have been registered in Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS), and do not receive PKH (Family Hope Program) social assistance or basic necessities, as well as PwDs living alone are the targets of this program.

Various parties are involved in food management, including MoSA, regional governments, community groups (pokmas), community welfare institutions (LKS) and other community groups.

This community group will purchase the food ingredients, process them into ready-to-eat food, package and deliver them directly to the residence of PwDs.

They must not serve food carelessly.  Nutritional fulfillment factors must be considered.  For this reason, a food package is made with the composition of rice or other carbohydrates, vegetables, side dishes, cut fruit, and mineral water.

Besides meeting the basic needs of PwDs, collaboration with community groups is expected to increase social solidarity in the surrounding environment.