Habitat for Humanity Indonesia has once again organized the Habitat Charity Golf Tournament (HCGT) in 2024. HCGT consistently upholds sustainability values as a fundamental principle to promote equitable Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Indonesia. Held at Damai Indah Golf PIK, North Jakarta, on June 20, 2024, this year’s event themed “Swing for Homes” serves as a platform for expanding networks and establishing relationships with golfers, professionals, and corporations who share the same mission of realizing equitable housing for low-income families.

Owning a decent home still feels like a dream for millions of families in Indonesia. According to data from BPS in 2023, 36.85% of households in Indonesia live in inadequate housing. This situation is exacerbated by the continuously growing population and households, while the cost of land and home construction remains very high.

Since its inception in 2010, the Habitat Charity Golf Tournament has involved approximately 920 golfers, both professional and amateur, competing to raise funds to build 265 decent homes across various regions in Indonesia.

At the 2024 Habitat Charity Golf Tournament, Habitat Indonesia is supported by 109 golfers from various levels, both amateur and professional, competing while donating through several tournament packages. In this tournament, players also have the opportunity to play alongside Indonesian champions Danny Masrin and Elki Kow throughout the 18 holes.

Susanto, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, stated, “The Habitat Charity Golf Tournament is one of the important annual events supporting Habitat’s mission, which is to create a world where everyone has the right to a decent home. We hope that through this fun and healthy sport, we can raise awareness among all parties about the needs of low-income communities that still require support in improving their quality of life through decent housing.”

The 2024 Habitat Charity Golf Tournament successfully raised substantial donations for the construction of 20 new homes for families in need. “The donations collected from this tournament will be used to build decent homes in three Habitat Indonesia clusters, namely Mauk-Tangerang, Babakan Madang-Bogor, and Kulon Progo-Yogyakarta. Habitat Indonesia has built thousands of homes for low-income communities there,” Susanto revealed.

Robert Deddy Purwanto emerged as the main winner in the Best Gross Overall category, while the main Best Net Overall category was won by William Kusuma. It is hoped that the Habitat Charity Golf Tournament can continue to be held annually to help provide decent housing for families in need in Indonesia.

That evening, Junaedi returned home on his motorcycle to his house in the Mauk District, Tangerang Regency, after a day’s work. His homecoming was very different from twelve years ago, when he and his wife, Melianti, lived in a cramped space with her parents. They realized that the house was not an ideal place to start their new family life. 

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia came to provide Junaedi and Melianti with a decent home. “It felt like a gift from God,” Junaedi said upon entering their newly completed two-bedroom house. This home wasn’t just a structure; it was the foundation of their community roots. Their children, now aged 12 and 9, grew up in a safe environment. 

Junaedi’s life changed after obtaining a decent home. He realized how important it is for others to have adequate housing. Therefore, since 2013, he has worked as a construction assistant at Habitat for Humanity Indonesia. “I hope Habitat continues to help families achieve their dream of having a safe haven,” said Junaedi. 

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia is committed to ensuring that every family in Indonesia has a decent place to live. One concrete step taken is through the Campus Chapter program, which combines advocacy, fundraising, and the construction of decent housing in collaboration with schools and educational institutions.

On May 27-28, 2024, Habitat Indonesia conducted the Campus Chapter program at several schools in Jakarta. This activity was designed to provide significant benefits for young advocates in addressing the challenge of inadequate housing in Indonesia. Youth are key agents of change, and through collaboration, this mission can be strengthened to support the creation of decent housing for low-income families in Indonesia.

During the two days, participants were invited to discuss and learn together about Habitat for Humanity and the work being done. Through participation in this program, youth communities, schools, and educational institutions can contribute to the noble effort of providing decent housing for the underprivileged.

More than 150 MedcoEnergi volunteers built 15 decent homes units for low-income families in Marga Mulya Village, Mauk District, Tangerang Regency (8/6). This activity is part of a collaboration between MedcoEnergi, Medco Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, and is part of the celebrations marking MedcoEnergi’s 44th anniversary. 

The moment was made even more special with the presence of Mrs. Yani Panigoro, Commissioner of MedcoEnergi, who also participated in building the house walls. This volunteering effort marks the third time MedcoEnergi has undertaken such actions. Following the successful construction of 11 homes for low-income families in 2023, MedcoEnergi demonstrates its commitment once again by building 29 livable housing units in 2024. 

The spirit of teamwork exhibited by MedcoEnergi volunteers is expected to enhance the quality of life for the families receiving support. Beyond simply providing housing, this initiative is hoped to inspire other companies to join in sustainable social efforts. 

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia received the CSR Partners Award from Prudential Indonesia for their collaboration in realizing the Desa Maju Prudential (DMP) program. The award was presented directly by Mrs. Indrijati Rahayoe, Chief Human Resources & Community Investment Officer of Prudential Syariah, to Mr. Susanto, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, at the PRUVolunteers Awards: Celebrating Acts of Kindness event in Jakarta (June 11).

This award was given as a form of appreciation for the outstanding support and collaboration between Habitat Indonesia and PT Prudential Life Assurance since 2020. Through this partnership, impacts achieved include the creation of 82 decent housing units, 4 units of clean water access, 37 portable handwashing facilities, the construction of 1 early childhood education center (PAUD) and the renovation of 2 schools, the construction of 38 individual toilets, mangrove tree planting by volunteers, WASH and financial literacy training, as well as health consultations and check-ups in Mauk District, Tangerang and Gunung Putri District, Bogor.

This award also symbolizes the ongoing commitment to improving the quality of life for the community and is expected to further motivate all parties involved to continue innovating and making real contributions for a better future for low-income families.

Gresik, May 8, 2024 – The Gresik Regency Government, in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, held the opening of the Habitat for Humanity program, which aims to provide Decent Homes, Clean Water Access, Training in the Water and Sanitation Sector, and Community Economic Empowerment, located in Sooko Village, Wringinanom District. The event began with a field visit to MTs. Maulana Malik Ibrahim, a recipient of the Digital Library program, and visits to recipients of clean water installation assistance and the construction of decent homes.

In accordance with Article 28H, paragraph 1 of the Constitution, which states that “Every person has the right to live a prosperous life physically and mentally, to have a place to live, and to have a good and healthy environment and to receive health services,” this is also reinforced by Law Number 39 of 1999 concerning Human Rights, Article 40, which states that “Every person has the right to have a place to live and to live decently.”

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia has implemented programs in 16 Districts/Cities in East Java since 2003. In 2015, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia began serving in Wringinanom District, located in South Gresik, with program achievements including 284 family toilets, 377 units of Decent Homes – New Buildings, 2 units of Decent Homes – Renovation, 1 School Toilet unit, 60 Shallow Wells, 2 Integrated Health Posts, 520 participants in Hygiene and Sanitation Promotion Training, 425 participants in Family Financial Management Training, 628 participants in Healthy Home & Basic Construction Training, 120 participants in Disaster Mitigation Training, and 180 participants in Economic Empowerment Training.

“However, we still face many problems in the Housing and Settlements sector, including inadequate housing, slum settlements, housing backlog, inadequate sanitation and drinking water conditions, and waste management issues that are still challenging for Local Governments. Collaboration between stakeholders will accelerate the achievement of targets in the Housing and Settlements sector,” said the Regent of Gresik in his remarks and directions.

“In response to the housing sector, which is one of the crucial factors in meeting primary needs, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia is committed to continuing this challenge. Additionally, basic services such as sanitation and access to clean water for low-income communities are also our concern. Our hope is that this can provide a sustainable, inclusive positive impact in improving their quality of life,” said Mr. Susanto, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia.

Specifically, the Regent of Gresik expressed appreciation for the collaboration between the Gresik Regency Government and Habitat for Humanity Indonesia in implementing this slum alleviation program. The Habitat for Humanity Indonesia Program Plan for 2024-2025, located in Wringinanom and Benjeng Districts, includes:

1. Construction of Decent Homes – New Buildings for 100 Units;
2. Renovation of Decent Homes for 20 Units;
3. Construction of Family Toilets for 20 Units;
4. Renovation of Community Meeting Halls for 12 Units;
5. Construction of 75 Shallow Wells;
6. Training in Clean and Healthy Living Behavior (PHBS) for 1,500 people; and
7. Training in Healthy Homes & Basic Construction for 200 people.

A decent home is a fundamental right for every individual to have a safe, comfortable, and adequate place to live. However, for millions of families in Indonesia, especially those with low incomes, achieving this condition can be a difficult dream to fulfill. Without decent homes, daily life becomes full of challenges, especially when facing inadequate kitchen conditions, as experienced by Nunung and her family.

“Before, my kitchen was like a shack, the walls were cracked, leaking everywhere, and almost collapsing,” said Nunung (51), a resident of Kadumanggu Village, Babakan Madang District, Bogor Regency.

It wasn’t easy for Nunung to improve her inadequate kitchen condition. Due to financial constraints, she could only hope for the kindness of donors to help her family. Living as a widow with two children made her struggle to meet daily needs. Even her second child had to quit school because of the situation.

Nunung’s health problems further complicated her situation. She could only rely on irregular income from her eldest child and assistance from neighbors. However, Nunung never lost hope. The dream of having a decent kitchen had haunted her mind for the past 10 years, when her late husband was still alive. Back then, they could cook and sell “cilok” together to supplement her husband’s income as a casual laborer.

Hearing Nunung’s story, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, together with donors and volunteers, came to provide support in rebuilding Nunung’s kitchen and toilet.

“Now I have a new kitchen that is safe and comfortable,” said Nunung with a happy smile. “I want to gather capital to start selling ‘cilok’ again with this new kitchen, so that my second child can go back to school.”

At the age of 27, Habitat Indonesia feels happy to be able to help Nunung and more than 200,000 other families. We won’t stop here and will continue with the same vision of providing support to low-income families to achieve strength, stability, and self-reliance through decent homes.

Marking the achievement of the Open Defecation Free (ODF) program, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia collaborated with Herbalife Indonesia to hold the ODF Declaration in Kedung Dalem Village, Mauk District, Tangerang Regency on May 7, 2024.

The declaration was delivered directly by the Head of Kedung Dalem Village, Mr. Suryadi, in the presence of the Mauk District Head, Mr. Khalid Mawardi, the Director of Public Affairs of Herbalife Indonesia, Mr. Arif Mustolih, the National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, Mr. Susanto, and families who have received support from Herbalife.

This event also demonstrates the tangible achievements of the collaborative efforts between Habitat Indonesia and Herbalife Indonesia since 2019, where the program has constructed 105 new toilet units, 5 public toilet units, 1 clean water facility, and repaired 1 Posyandu unit. Not only construction, but the program also facilitated WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Training, Posyandu Cadre Capacity Strengthening Training, and facilitated the Nutrition Intake Program as an effort to prevent stunting.

“The presence of Herbalife in this village is a manifestation of our founder’s vision to create a healthy and clean environment. This is our commitment to ensure that every individual has fair and adequate access to basic sanitation,” said Arif Mustolih, Director of Public Affairs of Herbalife Indonesia.

Habitat Indonesia expresses deep appreciation to the Herbalife Family Foundation for its outstanding support in realizing a cleaner, healthier, and sustainable environment. This support is a concrete step in creating meaningful change in people’s lives.

“On behalf of Habitat Indonesia, I would like to thank Herbalife for its significant contribution in reducing the rate of open defecation practices in Indonesia. Currently, more than 100 families in this village live without open defecation,” said Susanto, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia.

One of the partner families assisted by Herbalife and Habitat expressed deep gratitude for the changes that have occurred in their lives. “For decades, only now do I have a toilet. Now I am grateful, my children and my family no longer defecate in the fields; now we are cleaner and healthier,” said Asiah happily.

With the achievements that have been attained, it is hoped that it can accelerate steps towards Indonesia being free from open defecation practices, where data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in 2023 still shows a percentage of 4.2% of the total population of Indonesia still practicing open defecation.

A total of 83 Japanese volunteers, divided into six teams, collaborated to build decent homes for low-income communities in the Kali Agung Village, Kapanewon Sentolo District, Kulon Progo Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, from February 6th to March 13th, 2024.

Together, they constructed seven decent homes, starting from the foundation stage to wall construction. This project was part of the Global Village (GV) initiative, a program by Habitat for Humanity that enables volunteers from various countries to directly participate in building decent homes for those in need.

In addition to physical construction, this GV project also involved discussions between volunteers and PASSA (Participatory Approach for Safe Shelter Awareness) groups about disaster knowledge in their respective countries.

Through this program, the local community learned about how Japanese communities face and manage disaster risks. Meanwhile, for the Japanese volunteers, they learned how local communities build decent homes.

One volunteer, Miyu, shared her experience, “This is my first experience doing construction work, especially outside my country,” she said. “This experience is very valuable for me as a young person. I learned a lot and realized that a safe and comfortable home has become a basic need for everyone. I hope that the sweat and hard work of me and my friends can bring positive changes for the families we assist tomorrow.”

It is hoped that this activity can provide new perspectives for volunteers on sharing and directly engaging in building hope for communities to live in decent homes.

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany to conduct SKK (Work Competency Certification) and K3 (Occupational Safety and Health) training in Tangerang, Banten, in March 2024. This program trained and certified 240 construction workers to improve economic opportunities and the quality of life for low-income families in the Banten Province.

According to 2018 data from BPS, out of 8.3 million construction workers, only 7.4% are certified. “The number of certified construction workers in Indonesia is still low. This training supports the government in producing skilled and better-trained workers, and is expected to increase their income,” said Susanto, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia.

The 10-day training program adheres to the Indonesian National Work Competency Standards (SKKNI) in the Construction Sector and has previously trained 210 workers out of the 600 workers planned to be trained by 2025.

Habitat Indonesia expresses its gratitude to PT Mowilex Indonesia, PT Wavin Indonesia, PT Tata Metal Lestari & PT Tatalogam Lestari, PT Mortar Utama (Saint-Gobain), and PT Etex Building Performance Indonesia for their support in providing trainers and financial and material assistance for this training.

This partnership is tangible proof of cross-sector collaboration in enhancing the skills and quality of life of the community and helping low-income workers achieve financial independence.