Desa Maju Prudential Program Continues, Targeting More Than 20,000 Residents to Receive Benefits

Bogor, November 2, 2024 – Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, in partnership with PT Prudential Life Assurance (Prudential Indonesia) and PT Prudential Sharia Life Assurance (Prudential Syariah), has resumed the Desa Maju Prudential Program (DMP) in Gunung Putri Village, Bogor, West Java.

The inauguration of the third phase of the DMP program was marked by the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of new decent homes, attended by Prudential’s Chief Customer and Marketing Officer, Karin Zulkarnaen, alongside Chief Digital and Technology Officer, Dicky Johan, Gunung Putri Subdistrict Head Kurnia Indra, Gunung Putri Village Head Daman Huri, and Habitat for Humanity Indonesia’s Program Director, Arwin Soelaksono, on November 2, 2024.

The launch of this phase coincides with its 29th anniversary, highlighting the company’s long-term commitment to creating positive social impact. According to Karin Zulkarnaen, this third phase of the DMP aims to address essential community needs, with a primary focus on creating inclusive, safe, and sustainable settlements.

With Habitat Indonesia’s support, the DMP program will run officially over the next two years, from November 2, 2024, through June 2026, and is targeted to benefit over 20,000 residents. The scope of this third phase includes:

1. The construction of 27 new decent homes with plants for each house,
2. The construction of 21 new household toilets,
3. Renovation of 4 educational facilities (classrooms, libraries, and toilets),
4. Provision of machines to convert waste into plastic pellets, as well as waste management training for 210 participants and training for 75 waste management coordinators,
5. Basic construction training and healthy home training, as well as training on clean and healthy living behaviors for 210 participants,
6. Disaster mitigation training for the community.

Karin Zulkarnaen expressed optimism about the impact of the DMP program, stating, “This series of activities is expected to improve the quality of life for local communities in the long term, helping them to live healthier, more prosperous, and empowered lives.”

Overall, the third phase of DMP focuses on five development priorities: access to decent housing, educational facilities, waste bank management and the adoption of an environmentally friendly lifestyle, improving understanding of clean living, and raising community awareness of disaster mitigation.

Previously, through Habitat Indonesia and Prudential’s partnership, the DMP’s second phase in Gunung Putri Village successfully reached more than 5,100 residents with various projects, including building 15 new decent homes, renovating 10 homes with a focus on water, sanitation, and hygiene, constructing 38 household toilets, establishing 2 art schools, promoting hygienic lifestyle training for 412 participants, as well as disaster preparedness training and the development of healthy housing.

Additionally, as part of its efforts to empower the community toward financial resilience, Habitat Indonesia and Prudential renovated 10 MSME units, provided entrepreneurship training to 50 MSME participants, vocational skills for youth, and financial literacy education for the Gunung Putri Village community. Various health programs were also conducted, including free health checks such as pap smears and the provision of medical equipment for local Posyandu (integrated health services posts).

Arwin Soelaksono, Program Director of Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, expressed his gratitude for Prudential’s continued partnership in the third phase of the DMP. He stated that collaboration opens opportunities to support and empower the community, providing access to decent housing, education, and a healthier, safer, and more comfortable environment. Together with Prudential and PRUVolunteers, he is optimistic that this program will deliver sustainable positive impacts for the residents of Gunung Putri Village and beyond until 2026.

Since beginning its partnership with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia in 2020, Prudential has empowered more than 19,000 residents across various villages. In Tanjung Anom Village, Mauk, Tangerang Regency, for example, the program successfully built 63 new homes and toilets, established 2 clean water sources along with a 272-meter drainage system, installed 25 portable handwashing facilities, conducted WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) training, Basic Construction and Healthy Housing training, and distributed hygiene kits for 617 families, as well as food vouchers for 562 families.

The commencement of the third phase of the DMP program was further marked by the enthusiasm of over 200 PRUVolunteers who helped build decent homes, household toilets, manage waste, and plant biopores. In addition, over 300 participants attended a UMKM bazaar and health exercise activities.

Habitat for Humanity Indonesia invites all Habitat supporters to join and pray for the smooth implementation of this program, so that each step will provide sustainable benefits and strengthen the quality of life for residents in the future.

(kh/av)