On 1 and 2 April 2020, the Inspirasi Indonesia Membangun Foundation (YIIM), together with its main partner Insight Investment Management, again held a humanitarian action to combat the corona virus (the Covid-19 pandemic) by distributing packaged rice meals and staple food packages for communities and informal workers in the Jakarta area and its surroundings.

Previously, on 24 March 2020, YIIM also collaborated with BAZNAS and the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) to spray disinfectant in public places and places of worship in South Jakarta.

On this occasion, YIIM and INSIGHT held a humanitarian action consisting of distributing 300 packaged rice meals and 100 staple food packages (nine basic necessities) for communities and informal workers.

This action carried the theme “You Are Not Alone! Let Us Spread Inspiration and Kindness to One Another in Fighting the Corona Virus.”

This humanitarian care action aimed to ease the burden on communities and informal workers due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which had more or less an impact on the livelihoods and income of small communities and informal workers, who on average depended on daily wages and income.

For this reason, YIIM and INSIGHT tried to contribute to maintaining the micro-economy, albeit on a limited scale, by ordering packaged meals from small simple food stalls using online motorcycle taxi services and then distributing them to small communities such as parking attendants, street musicians and informal workers like street vendors. In addition, packaged meals were also distributed to homeless people and scavengers.

The distribution of packaged meals was carried out in several places in Jakarta and its surroundings, including the areas of Tanah Abang, Duren Sawit, Cengkareng, Depok, Citayam, and South Tangerang.

Meanwhile, the distribution of staple food packages was carried out in collaboration with neighbourhood (RT) officials in the Duren Sawit area of East Jakarta, Tanah Abang in Central Jakarta, Citayam, and Depok Beji. (For recipients of staple food packages, please see here)

Dewi Astari, Director of Programs and Institutional Affairs at the Inspirasi Indonesia Membangun Foundation, stated regarding this humanitarian action, “We are carrying out this action to provide inspiration and spread kindness to one another, so that small communities and informal workers remain strong in facing the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Dewi added, “Although what we give is not much, we believe that what we do, little by little, will help the resilience of the micro-economy, because by shopping at small stalls, ordering food, and delivering food through online motorcycle taxi services, the economy indirectly becomes vibrant. We hope more people will care.”

Meanwhile, a representative from INSIGHT, Suluh T Rahardjo, stated, “We hope the Covid-19 pandemic will end soon and the economy will recover. We hope that what we do can inspire many circles to revive the economy even though the corona virus is still spreading. We must work together.”

This humanitarian action is one of the manifestations of YIIM’s four major programs as a non-profit institution, namely social and humanitarian programs, education, economic empowerment, and environmental greening.

YIIM, as one component of the nation, is called to synergise with other national components to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, the transmission of which is increasing.

Working together to combat the corona virus is in line with the global action plan contained in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution dated 25 September 2015 on the Sustainable Development Goals programme, particularly goal 3 concerning ensuring healthy lives.

In addition, mutual cooperation in the health sector is also consistent with Regulation of the Minister of Health (Permenkes) Number 8 of 2019 concerning Community Empowerment in the Health Sector, particularly Article 3 which mentions increasing partnership and multi-sector participation, community institutions, community organisations, and the private sector.

YIIM is committed to continuing to be involved and contributing to efforts to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic together with other national components. We hope this pandemic ends soon and Indonesia recovers.

Salam Inspirasi!