The spread of Covid-19 is surging rapidly, especially due to the Omicron variety. On February 17th, 2022, the confirmed cases have reached more than five million cases, which means it increases 1.5 times each week. The daily cases broke the record with more than 64 thousand new cases in one day. There is a potential that the daily cases can go up to 100-150 thousand per day.

This situation forces medical workers to work extra hard every day because the number of patients increased drastically. Nonetheless, they hesitate to go back home no matter how exhausted they are because afraid of transmitting the virus to their families. Moreover, Omicron is extremely easy to be contracted.

Therefore, medical workers need a decent temporary shelter again to keep distancing between their families, a place where they can rest safely and comfortably before resuming their duty serving Covid-19 patients.

Dyani Kusumowardhani, Director of Medical, Nursing and Support Services from RSPI Sulianti Saroso said, “The medical workers need precision and extra energy while handling the Covid-19 patients. They must be feeling more exhausted than usual, so the temporary shelter facilities provided by Habitat for Humanity Indonesia are very helpful, especially for medical workers whose house is so far from the hospital.”

“If worst comes to worst, I hope only me get the virus, not my wife, child nor my families”, said Ilham Wiguna, a Covid-19 nurse at RSPI Sulianti Saroso. Ilham realizes the importance of a temporary shelter for him and his loved ones to minimize the spreading of Covid-19.

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia has initiated the temporary shelter for medical workers program since 2020. Habitat has helped more than 2,000 medical workers from twelve different designated hospitals in Jakarta, Tangerang, and Surabaya. This year, Habitat once again encourages our communities to donate and support the temporary shelter for medical workers who are fighting in the front line.

At virtual press conference on February 23, 2022, Susanto, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia said, “The surge in cases due to the new Omicron variant demands medical workers to work day and night serving patients and risk exposing themselves this fast-spreading virus. As part of our support to the government and medical staff in reducing the spread of Covid-19, we are re-activating the Temporary Shelter for Medical Workers (abbrev: TSPM) program to provide a decent temporary resting place (hotel room) for healthcare workers. We hope that all of us can show our support for this TSPM program during the third wave.”

Susanto believes that this temporary shelter program is very effective in slowing the spread of the virus as we place medical staff away from their families. “With hotel room as a temporary shelter, they can rest comfortably as well as self-quarantine at ease.” he added.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Republic of Indonesia, dr. Azhar Jaya, who was also present at the press conference said, “The health and safety of medical workers is our top priority because they as the front line have a high risk factor for contracting the virus. That’s we need prevention effort by providing temporary shelters. This is one way to protect ourselves, family, and the community, to give a safer environment against Covid-19.

Support for providing temporary shelter for healthcare workers in this 2nd year also comes from one of the well-known communication technology brands in Indonesia, namely PT World Innovative Telecommunication with its smartphone product called OPPO.

Patrick Owen, Chief Creative Officer of PT World Innovative Telecommunication (OPPO Indonesia) said, “OPPO is proud to cooperate with Habitat Indonesia Foundation to provide temporary shelter for medical workers. They are our front defense against Covid-19 and we need to take care of their well-being and health. This TSPM program also becomes a part of OPPO Find Health, where we used to create a program to support medical workers in 2021, collaborating with Angel Pieters, Aero Aswar, and Asmara Abigail.”

Angel Pieters as the Brand Ambassador of OPPO Indonesia showed her support for this TSPM program, “Of course as part of OPPO family I feel so proud and support this program done by OPPO Indonesia and Habitat Indonesia Foundation. Besides, as a human centric brand, OPPO always tries to create innovation for its users.” People who want to give support can visit dukunghabitat.org . You can find an easy way to donate through that web page. This program will start on the third week of February until end of March 2022. This program might continue based on the situation and needs that occur.

In Kasemben Kulon village, Wringinanom
sub-district, East Java province, there are still around 200 households
belonging to poor families with low monthly income and living in inadequate places. Most of the people in the village work in agriculture and ranch as day
laborers with an average income of IDR 30,000/day. The current pressing issue
is that they do not have proper defecation facilities, either personal toilet
or public toilets. They defecate using a facility called a ‘jumbleng’ – a simple toilet with bamboo skin stripped and
woven (gedhek) or a stretch of used cloth or tarpaulin as walls with self-dug
toilet hole without a septic tank, where when finished doing the business, the
hole is covered with wooden slats or tarpaulin.

One of the families from Kesamben Kulon
village, Mrs. Hermin, has been using the jumbleng toilet for 25 years because
she has no choice but to use this facility. Some time ago, his son had fallen
into the hole because it was raining at night and had little lighting and was
slippery. This mother had thought of making a proper bathroom but she couldn’t
do it because there was no money, this family still lacked for daily needs.

Don’t let them fight alone. Our helping
hand means a lot to them, share and care for one another. Go to https://kitabisa.com/campaign/toiletsehat
and donate to give your help.

Gunung Capital is an asset management company that focuses on infrastructure and construction collaborate with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia built a Posyandu in Kluwung, Kesambenkulon Village, Wringinanom, Gresik.

A Posyandu in Kluwung will give many benefits because even until the end of 2021, Kluwung still has not any Posyandu yet. Previously, when women and children wanted to get any health service, they could only meet the health cadres by using a small community center or directly going to a community health center.

Habitat Indonesia and Gunung Capital started to build that Posyandu in October 2021. Lima Supriyanti, Gunung Capital representative, said, “It was more difficult for women and children to get any health facility because of the pandemic, especially in before and after pregnant phase. Not all villages could use a digital era.”

Habitants in Kluwung felt such enthusiasm because Posyandu had solved their problem. They turned to help the Habitat team to build the Posyandu every day. That Posyandu finally finished in January 2022. On the second week of January, the habitants had used it when women and children wanted to check their health condition.

Eny and Amenik, the health cadres in Kluwung, said, “It was like a dream when finally we got this Posyandu. We felt safer, more comfortable, and more properly served the patients. A complete facility also helps us to serve women and children continuously here. They don’t have to go to community health centers anymore. They can get it here.”

Gunung Capital and Habitat Indonesia held a take-over event in hybrid located in Gunung Capital office at Sudirman, Jakarta.

Susanto, National Director Habitat for Humanity Indonesia who attended the take-over event on-site, said, “A big appreciation we give to Gunung Capital that willing to collaborate with Habitat Indonesia to build a Posyandu in Kluwung.”

Habitat Indonesia and Gunung Capital said that this Posyandu would serve more than one hundred women and children in Kluwung.

It will be used for women and children and as the first aid to serve the habitants in Kluwung during this pandemic to increase the growth and health life of Kluwung habitants.

The disaster struck at around 3 PM. Heavy ash fall to volcanic materials and lava flows travelled down the Lumajang Regency and its surroundings.

Mount Semeru with a height of 3,676 meters erupted and caused ash fall in Sumbersari hamlet, Supiturang village, Pronojiwo Lumajang sub-district, and East Java province. As a result of this activity, the community and sand diggers in the Leprak River ran away.

According to residents’ interview, actually the hot clouds were first seen at around 3.30 PM on December 3, 2021 on top of the mountain. Before releasing hot clouds, Mount Semeru released cold lava that caused flooding. The impact of hot cloud avalanche was most severely felt in Lumajang Regency. It is known that two sub-districts in Lumajang are completely dark, namely Pronojiwo and Candipuro sub-districts.

Assistance will be given according to the urgency of needs at the location, specifically for the needs of hygiene kits, cleaning kits for house and surrounding, home repair programs and access to clean water. This program will be carried out after they are completely safe to return to their environment and are ready to work together to repair the house.

Let’s give your hand to them by scanning the QR code below:

After being delayed due to the pandemic, Habitat Indonesia is back with Habitat Charity Golf Tournament on December 15, 2021, at Imperial Golf Club Karawaci.

Habitat Charity Golf Tournament is a routine event held every 2 years since 2010, as a place for Indonesian golfers to compete and donate, to support decent housing for underserved families in various regions in Indonesia.

Susanto, National Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia said “The pandemic has taught us the importance of decent housing for families. To urge people “Stay at Home” must be equipped with a proper and healthy home as an initial step to protect families from the Covid-19 virus. Indonesia still needs 10 million decent houses and through the Habitat Charity Golf Tournament we are able to meet some of the needs for decent housing, especially for people who can’t afford it, so as to create a healthy and strong Indonesia. Ever since the tournament was first held in 2010 until now, through the Habitat Charity Golf Tournament we have built more than 200 decent houses.”

The participants of the Habitat Charity Golf Tournament were given the option of donating, namely to support the construction of one new house, they donate 50 million rupiah, and to support the renovation of a house, they donate 30 million rupiah.

This year, Bank HSBC Indonesia is the main sponsor of the Habitat Charity Golf Tournament 2021.

Francois de Maricourt, President Director, PT Bank HSBC Indonesia said “HSBC is committed to supporting sustainable economic and community development in Indonesia. We are pleased to be able to support Habitat for Humanity Indonesia in the program to build decent housing for the people of Mauk, Wringinanom, and Babakan Madang, as an expression of our commitment in Indonesia.”

“We are very grateful, Habitat Charity Golf Tournament 2021 which was delayed for a year, has successfully collected donations for the construction of 22 houses for the community in Mauk-Tangerang, Babakan Madang-Sentul and Winginanom-Gresik which will begin at the end of January 2022. I would like to thank all parties involved,” concluded Susanto.

Do you want to get involved in supporting the construction of decent houses in Indonesia? Further information can be obtained through habitatindonesia.org, Instagram: habitat_id or Facebook: Habitat Indonesia.

Palu City, Central Sulawesi provincial government appreciates Habitat for Humanity Indonesia that has helped more than six thousand families who were hit by the earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction on September 28th 2018, in Central Sulawesi.

“We appreciate Habitat Indonesia because it had brought changes to raise the disaster-impacted families during three years,” said Deputy Governor of Central Sulawesi, Mamun Amir in Palu.

Mamun Amir says that Habitat for Humanity Indonesia had helped the government provide temporary shelters, permanent houses, schools, and other helps.

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia had given help through a disaster response program and had served 6.248 people in Palu, Sigi, and Donggala.

“Habitat had built 1.039 temporary shelters, 191 permanent houses in Sigi”, He said.

Habitat Indonesia involves the habitants to implement the building and economic program past the disaster. “Not only giving help but also train the habitants,” explains Mamun Amir.

Meanwhile, the national director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, Susanto, says that Habitat for Humanity Indonesia had helped more than six thousand disaster-impacted families by collaborating with thirty-five international and national donors.

“We have been three years in Palu, Sigi, and Donggala, Central Sulawesi”, said Susanto.

Interim Senior Operation Manager of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, Rudi Nadapdap, add that at the beginning of the program, Habitat Indonesia had delivered 1.096 emergency shelter kits, 150 cleaning kits, built 1.039 temporary shelters, communal and individual toilets that had served 683 families and emergency clean water access that had served 1.795 families.

Not only it, but Habitat Indonesia also had built 191 permanent houses, two community centers, renovated two schools building, made a clean water facility that can serve more than 1.795 families, and organized many disaster mitigation training.

“Habitat Indonesia is not only present in disaster response level but also in rehabilitation and reconstruction,” he explained.

Rudi adds, by the end of November 2021, Habitat Indonesia will finish and fix all programs in Central Sulawesi. He hopes what Habitat has given all disaster-impacted families in Central Sulawesi last 2018 can be helpful. “We exist to take apart to heal and to raise after a disaster. We hope that our help is useful”, Rudi.

On September 24, 2021, as many as 36 healthcare workers who have finished their duty to treat COVID-19 patients can immediately stay overnight to rest comfortably at Hotel 88 Kedungsari Surabaya. Health workers are at the forefront of the pandemic who are struggling to treat and prevent wider transmission to the community, so they are at risk of contracting and transmitting COVID-19 to others. To ease the burden on health workers, GGF as a company providing high-quality food and beverages also provides support through Habitat Indonesia and in collaboration with Hotel 88 Kedungsari Surabaya to prepare 21 rooms and food for the health workers of Husada Prima Hospital to stay temporarily so they can recover, energized and ready to work again. A total of 651 rooms used during the period 24 September – 25 October 2021 or during their 31 day stay.

Hopefully this temporary shelter can provide benefits in keeping them healthy and fit in carrying out their duties of caring for COVID-19 patients. The struggle is not over yet, let’s continue #IndonesiaAgainstCorona so that the pandemic may end soon. If they fall, we fall too.

Jakarta, September 27th, 2021 – PT Mahkota Indonesia Cakung and Habitat for Humanity Indonesia carried out a program to develop toilet access in Rawa Terate Cakung from January to March 2021. Previously, the people of Tuksono disposed of septic tank waste directly into the river without realizing that it pollutes the environment and causes various sources of disease. 

PT Mahkota Cakung Indonesia and Habitat approached and educated the community to be aware of the importance of caring for the environment. The awareness of a healthy environment and proper housing can bring people to healthy behavior changes. Habitat invited the local volunteers to help collect data on potential beneficiaries and supervise the program implementation process to make it complete quickly.

After going through various stages and processes, PT Mahkota Indonesia Cakung and Habitat build four bio septic tank units. These bio septic tanks have helped at least thirty-seven families. “We are very proud to have septic tanks even though they are for communal. Previously, we felt ashamed because we threw our waste into the river or in front of the house. When the dry season arrived, we often had a bad smell, and it made us embarrassed. The existence of those septic tanks finally can help us to enjoy a healthy environment, a resident of Rawa Terate Cakung.”

In addition to bio septic tanks, Habitat builds 2 MCK units in PAUD TERATE V, where thirty families and thirty-three teachers and students can feel the benefit. In addition to providing these two aids, PT Mahkota Indonesia Cakung and Habitat also provided 100 cleaning equipment packages to 30 families and 30 teachers and students to help them carry out health protocols properly during the Covid-19 pandemic. Sugandi, Manager of PAUD TERATE V, said, “Thank you to PT Mahkota Indonesia Cakung and Habitat Indonesia for constructing the MCK in PAUD TERATE V. These toilets can be used by both teachers and students well. The cleaning kits provided are also beneficial for families and students who have middle to lower economic lives. 

Rahmat and the Community Health Center team also said, “PT Mahkota Indonesia Cakung and Habitat Indonesia program is in line with Community Health Center program. Community Health Center still has a problem doing the program because pandemic diver the cost to other programs. Thank you to PT Mahkota Indonesia Cakung and Habitat Indonesia for supporting the government’s program to tackle the indiscriminate disposal of defecation waste in the past”. 

So that a house can be said decent is to have a sufficient area to meet health standards, namely good ventilation, clean toilets and bathrooms, enough rooms for family members to move around and designed to facilitate the movement of residents, especially for the disabled. If the families have toddlers or school children, ideally the house can have a yard or be located close to an open space such as a playground or field and most importantly have a fairly safe distance from the road.

Another requirement that needs to be noted is the separation of rooms between parents and their children and between boys and girls. Separation of this room is one way to teach children to be more independent. Meanwhile, the separation of a boy’s room with a girl’s room can be done if the child begins to enter his teens because they both have different needs.

Data from the National Socio-Economic Survey or Susenas (survey activity by BPJS) shows that there are still 14 million families who do not have decent housing. To help families have decent housing, especially for low-income families, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia has made various efforts, including by providing construction, rehabilitation and home improvement assistance, the funding of which is in collaboration with corporate donors (CSR) and individuals. Through the housing assistance program, decent houses can become a healthy place to live and families become more productive. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the house is a primary need because every family member has to work or do activities from home. People have to work from home, play at home, study at home, so there is a need for proper and healthy homes.

Let’s collaborate with Habitat Indonesia to create decent houses for low-income families by becoming Habitat Crew. Go to   to participate in the movement for change for a better Indonesia.

Fulfilling the need for livable and affordable housing in the property sector is considered to drive the economy because it is directly related to the scope of supporting industries.

Budi Sastrawinata, Head of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry under Integrated Property Area Development Agency, stated at the Indonesia Housing Forum, which was held online on Thursday (Oct, 14th 2021), that “The property industry’s ecosystem has a vital role in fixing the needs.”

Budi added that the property industry covers various aspects, such as housing, shop houses, apartments, the superblock area consists of offices and shopping centers, then TOR, namely airports and ports. Furthermore, the tourism area consists of resorts, hotels, and eco-tourism. In addition, there are also new urban areas and urban rejuvenation, as well as industrial areas. All of these are related to the needs of financial services such as banking, taxes, REITs, Tapera, and BPJS which also related to other supporting services such as brokerage, consultants, building, and housing management.

According to Budi, the property industry can contribute to the National GDP reaching 7-9% if we combined the overall process. The property industry can also have a multiplier effect on 175 sectors and 350 related SMEs. The use of local materials can reach up to 90-100% and employees at least up to 30 million workers.

“If the property industry ecosystem is good, the supply chain is also good. It will make it easier to accelerate the development of needs in this sector,” concluded Budiarsa.

National Director of Habitat Indonesia, Susanto, who is also the Chairman of the Indonesia Housing Forum, said, “Habitat Indonesia as a non-profit organization that focuses on providing decent housing in Indonesia also continues to advocate for affordable housing for low-income families. Established 24 years ago, Habitat has served more than 168,000 families in obtaining housing, sanitation, and access to water.”

Susanto added that there were still millions of families that needed help. Through the Indonesia Housing Forum, each participant is placed inclusively as a stakeholder so that everyone can better understand the problems and challenges in realizing decent housing.

Since 2017, the Indonesia Housing Forum has involved academics who provide in-depth studies related to housing development in Indonesia.

Hadi Prabowo, Dean of FTSP Trisakti University, said, “The follow-up program carried out by Trisakti related to housing and settlements is in the form of community service programs which is translated into counseling, training, design consultations, and pilots connected to housing and settlements.”

According to Hadi, educational institutions, including the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Planning (FTSP) of Trisakti University and the non-governmental organization Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, need to collaborate to address the need for livable housing for low-income communities through research, workshops, and community service.