Collaboration With The Ministry Of PUPR, Risma Constructs A Flat For Scavengers In Bekasi And Jakarta

Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini during the inauguration of the center for attention creation and site observation of the location of the flat construction plan for former scavengers and homeless people (Muhammad Zulfikar / Antara)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) is working with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) to immediately build flat-houses for scavengers in Bekasi and Jakarta areas.

"The Ministry of PUPR has agreed and will build two apartment blocks in Bekasi and Jakarta", said Social Minister Tri Rismaharini during the inauguration of the center for attention creation and site observation of the location of the flat construction plan for former scavengers and homeless people at the Karya Pangudi Luhur Hall which is monitored in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Thursday, February 18th.

Risma, the Minister's nickname, said that each block of 100 rooms will be built. This development was motivated by the insufficient income of the scavengers to rent a boarding house in the capital.

The former Surabaya mayor admitted to visiting several scavengers and asked about their average income per day, which is around IDR 30 thousand.

"I interviewed them, the average monthly income was only IDR 450 thousand", she said.

With this amount of income, scavengers can't rent a boarding house because it is only enough to meet basic needs.

She hopes that when the flat has been completed, it can help scavengers save on housing rental costs.

On that occasion, the Mayor of Surabaya for the two periods said that the Ministry of Social Affairs also empowers the wives of scavengers, women scavengers, and victims of domestic violence (KDRT) to produce various culinary businesses so that they can improve their economic level.

"We train them and teach them assisted by the Surabaya Hotel School", she said.

The wives of scavengers, women scavengers and women victims of domestic violence are trained to have skills in the culinary field, the goal is, after receiving the training they can be independent or independent and can improve a much better standard of life than before.