Good News! Social Minister Risma Prepares Special Assistance For Orphans Due To COVID-19

JAKARTA - Minister of Social Affairs (Mensos) Tri Rismaharini said that his party was preparing new social assistance in 2022. The assistance was in the form of a stimulus for children who were orphaned amid COVID-19.

Risma said the COVID-19 pandemic had made the death rate high in the country. This has caused Indonesian children to become orphans. Therefore, the Ministry of Social Affairs will prepare special assistance for them.

"We are still discussing helping orphans who are currently abandoned by their parents, either because of COVID-19 or because they are orphans. In accordance with the mandate of the 1945 Constitution that the poor and abandoned children are cared for by the state," he said in a virtual press conference , Monday, August 16.

Currently, said Risma, the plan is still under discussion with the Ministry of Finance and Bappenas. However, the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani has given a signal to agree with the existence of the program.

"Then what we are currently processing, the Minister of Finance, we are discussing with the Ministry of Finance and Bappenas," he said.

According to Risma, the main rule being considered is what kind of distribution scheme is more suitable for these children. For example, if the heirs are transferred to family or relatives, there will be a possibility that data collection errors will occur when the person concerned is transferred to the foundation.

"Now we are preparing it, because it can't if other families are included, we can just trace the population data, for example the father's brother, but once the guardian is a foundation or social institution, it will then break up," he explained.

Therefore, continued Risma, his party must find the right rules to accommodate it.