“It would be more difficult to clean the site if we didn’t have the kits. Previously, we didn’t have a proper set of kits. Only some tools were available, well, we could have used a hoe, but other people need it more than me.”, said Asep Tajudin, one of the survivors of the Cianjur earthquake who came from Cipakucau, Suka Jaya Village, when he asked about the RRK (Rubber Removal Kits) distributed by Habitat Indonesia.

As one of the steel company’s employees, it’s usual for Asep to work at the factory in the middle of the day. Suddenly Asep and his colleagues felt that the machine was moving heavily and the factory’s roof was trembling. “I got shocked, the ground was trembling heavily, and the steel construction was shaking.”, said Asep.  

He was still in shock when he received a call from his wife. “At that time, my wife called me. She gave me a video with our house already collapsed on the ground. My wife said there was an earthquake.”. Receiving the message, Asep headed home straightly. “I asked permission from my boss; then I went home immediately.”

Asep said he was grateful because his wife and children survived the quake. “It happened fast. First, my wife heard a sound, not knowing there would be an earthquake. Fortunately, my children were outside the house, so my wife could save them right before the house collapsed.”, said Asep.

Ever since childhood, Asep has lived in Suka Jaya Village. However, he had never encountered an earthquake as strong as November 21st, 2022. “I never encountered such an earthquake. Usually, there was only a mild tremor.”.

After surviving 1-2 days on the street, Asep and the other survivors started to set up emergency tents. “After 1-2 days, we build emergency tents. We struggled to get food supplies since the stocks inside our house were already gone due to the quake. On the second or the third day, we received help from the donators.”

Asep’s house was destroyed completely. “All is broken; there were only ruins.”. Asep hopes to rebuild his home immediately. Fortunately, he received a package of the ESK (Emergency Shelter Kits) from Habitat and CRS. The package contains a hoe, a shovel, a wheelbarrow, and other construction tools. Asep’s wife started to clean the remaining ruins on the site. “It would be more difficult to clean the site if we didn’t have the kits. Previously, we didn’t have a proper set of kits. Only some tools were available; we could have used a hoe, but other people need it more than me.”

Asep felt he received great help. “Alhamdulillah, I can use all the kits.”. In the future, Asep will use the kits for inventory. Asep’s spirit is unless. “What makes me keep fighting is that my wife and children survived the quake. It doesn’t matter if my house didn’t survive as long as my family stays alive.”

There were 20 people who participated in the One Amazon Web Services Indonesia Volunteering Day Event. The event was the first opportunity for many of our colleagues from Amazon Web Services to be directly involved in the community facilities development program with Habitat Indonesia. The piercing heat from the weather didn’t tire out the volunteers’ spirit and enthusiasm during the construction of the auxiliary clinic foundation, the garden fence painting, and the planting of the plants.

Mr. Margono, the head of Mulyasari Village, delivered an opening speech. In his remark, he introduced the area of Mulyasari Village and Cipule Lake, a popular leisure destination for the locals and known as a place for rowing sport. Then, the opening speech was carried on by Mr. Haris Izmee, AWS Asean Growth Market Director, and closed by Mr. Abraham Tulung, the General Manager of Habitat Indonesia.

Then, the women of the Local Family Welfare Development Organization led the “Warming Up” as a closing activity for the event’s opening session. They guided the exercise with a vibrant spirit that ignited an infectious enthusiasm among the volunteers.

Jokes and laughter flourished the event throughout the day. The volunteers collaboratively worked together during the foundation construction and the painting of the fence. They cooperated to do things they had never done before. The experience left a deep impression on each volunteer who participated in the event. Then, it was closed with a lunch together activity.

Hopefully, the One AWS Indonesia Volunteering Day event may inspire people to work together in building communities and a decent environment for our greater society.

After holding the CEO Build in Banyuwangi in 2022, this time Habitat for Humanity invites leaders from various financial corporations/institutions (banking & insurance) to do good, make dreams come true for families who can’t afford it, to have a decent home .

The activity, which is named Financial Institution Build 2023, will be held on March 18, 2023, in Babakan Madang, Bogor. On that day the leaders of the financial corporations/institutions will become volunteers who work hand in hand, rolling up their sleeves to build the homes of underserved families residents there. Building a decent house means building hope for a better life for every citizen.

If you want to take part in this activity, please contact our Registration Admin at WA number +62 821 1097 6297 or E-mail: rd.info@habitatindonesia.org

Building Homes – Building Lives – Building Communities

The national water availability in Indonesia can be considered relatively safe, but the accessibility, continuity, and quality of the available water are still not up to standard. Furthermore, consuming poor-quality water can negatively impact our health and result in death. In addition, those three main criteria, along with other elements, are crucial because they are one of the requirements within every process of national development planning and sustainability.

Indonesia is committed to fulfilling the target of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 6, namely ensuring the availability and management of safe drinking water and sanitation sustainably. The country hopes to 100% fulfill clean water and sanitation access by 2030.

However, there are still several areas in Indonesia that do not possess accessibility to clean water; one of them is Karawang, which is included in the list of 100 priority areas for stunting prevention in Indonesia. Stunting in Karawang is mainly caused by the consumption of dirty water and inadequate sanitation facility. Most of the residents still defecate in open water bodies. Some people there still need to buy clean water to fulfill their daily needs.

Availability of access, distribution channels, and installation of clean water should be a shared responsibility within our community. Diverse partnerships are needed to solve the water problems in Indonesia. To make this happen, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia and Akuberbagi (https://akuberbagi.com/purchase/Donasi/habitat-for-humanity-indonesia-yayasan-habitat-kehumanian-indonesia/step-1/-) invite you to support the accessibility of clean water for underprivileged communities by providing the water pipe to supply clean water from its source through donating IDR 50,000,-.

With your IDR 50,000, – you have provided two water pipes. Moreover, you have minimized the health costs because, according to WHO, every dollar invested in clean water and sanitation can save 4.3 dollars in health costs.

Let’s create a healthier and more prosperous life for Indonesian people by supporting Habitat Indonesia through Crew Registration (jotform.com) or https://supporthabitat.org/id.

“Thank God, Habitat came to our house to build us a toilet. I am very grateful to be able to get the assistance. Especially since I still have a toddler, often it’s a hassle if I wanted to go to the toilet, I had to use the one in my parents-in-law’s house.” – Nia, Jaenuddin’s Wife.

Jaenuddin, Nia, and their toddler are part of a little family who lives in Kedung Dalem Village, Mauk District, Tangerang Subdistrict, Banten Province. It was unthinkable how they lived in a house where the absence of a decent toilet was an urgent concern. As a laundry keeper, Nia and her husband found it difficult to build a toilet for their house since they only make enough income to fulfill their daily needs. Unpreventably, Jaenuddin and Nia had to use their parent’s bathroom.

A condition where the lack of decent toilets or water access affects families like Jaenuddin’s is one of the leading concerns that Habitat aims to solve. Collaborating with other parties who shared the same vision, Habitat welcomed the support of PT Omega Hotel Management (OHM) on a joint program to provide a decent toilet for Jaenuddin and his family.

Celebrating its 9th birthday, OHM, a hotel operator under the auspices of the Alfaland Group, organized a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia to build nine toilets for nine low-income families in Kedung Dalem Village, Mauk, Tangerang. One of them was Jaenuddin’s family.

“I want to thank Habitat and OHM who have provided us with toilet assistance”, said Nia gratefully.

By providing the toilet for Jaenuddin and the other eight families in Kedung Dalem Village, Habitat hopes that this program can improve the welfare and health of the community.

Ms. Tisha is a single parent of four children who works as a member of the village’s Family Welfare movement in Mauk, Tangerang. One of her duties is to record the number of families who need decent houses. However, Ms. Tisha also lived in a non-decent house, yet she had to put other families first to help those in a far more concerning condition.

The condition of Ms. Tisha’s house was far from safe and comfortable. The roof had many holes. Its foundation was also fragile. Her house was constantly flooded. She and her children could not sleep. When it rained, they could only sit patiently in a place where they could avoid the piercing raindrops inside their house until it stopped. 

Rain was not the only problem. Ms. Tisha also faced several difficulties in her economic condition. Three of her four children still need financial support for their education. The situation made Ms. Tisha continuously work hard for the sake of her children. She had to give each of her children IDR 10.000 to cover the cost of their travel to school and meals. However, it only happened when Ms. Tisha had enough money. If she did not have enough money, she could only give IDR 5.000 to each child.

Everything is beautiful in its time. Finally, Ms. Tisha was registered to receive housing assistance from Habitat. Her children were joyful after receiving the news that they always asked, “Mom, when will it be built?”. Ms. Tisha couldn’t describe her happiness after receiving a decent house. “I feel like I can fly; I am pleased,” she said. Now, Ms. Tisha and her children can peacefully live a safe life. “The main thing is I don’t have to worry about leaving my children at night in our house,” she said.

Ms. Tisha had saved her money for a long time to build her dream house. When Habitat built her home, she used her money to decorate dan renovate her kitchen to be more beautiful. Now, Ms. Tisha can prepare meals for her family in a clean kitchen. She hopes her children can grow well in their new home. 

“If God gave me two lives, then with those two lives, I should bestow them to our Motherland and Nation.” – Ir Soekarno.

The quote above illustrates the expression of love for Indonesia by the first Indonesia’s president, Ir. Soekarno. Now that we mention the word “love”, last February is known by many people as the month of love. In tune with the phrase of love by Ir. Soekarno, I was reminded of Habitat’s mission which echoes the spirit of love to our nation through building decent houses for the needs. I am grateful that in its 25th year of existence hundreds of thousands of families have felt the manifestation of love through Habitat’s mission.

Recently, I was touched by Ms. Tisha’s story, one of our home partners whom we met last November 2022 in Kedung Dalem Village, Mauk, Tangerang. Ms. Tisha is a single parent with four children who works as a member of the village’s Family Welfare Movement. One of her duties is to record the number of families who need decent houses. However, Ms. Tisha was also living in a non-decent house, but she had to put other families first to help those who lived in a far worse conditions. Ms. Tisha and her children could only be patient and hope there would be help because when the rain came, her house was always flooded, and with her children, she couldn’t sleep. They had to seek a safe place within her house to wait until the rain stopped. 

Everything is beautiful in its time. Finally, Ms. Tisha was registered as the one who received a house from Habitat. Her children were joyful after receiving the news that they always asked, “Mom, when will it be built?”. Ms. Tisha couldn’t describe her happiness after receiving a decent house. “I feel like I can fly; I am pleased,” she said. Now, Ms. Tisha and her children can peacefully live a safe life. “The main thing is I don’t have to worry about leaving my children at night in our house,” she said.

In the near future, Habitat will share the love of the low-income families in Babakan Madang, Sentul, Bogor, on March 18, 2023, through the Financial Institutional Build program. To carry on with love for our nation, as echoed by Bung Karno, I invite every leader from various financial institutions to share the love by supporting Habitat Indonesia in providing decent houses through this program. Let us walk hand in hand, together roll up our sleeves to build a better hope for our nation’s future. 

Regards, 

Susanto

Amazon Web Services cooperated with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia to hold a Business Literature and Financial Management Training for Entrepreneurs from Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Karawang.

The training went on for two days, from 24th to 25th January 2023. On 24th January 2023, it started with welcoming speeches by the leader of KPKS, Seia Piantara, SE, MM, and the Local Economic Union and SME Secretary, Amid Mulyana, SE., MM. The training’s first session was filled with the provision of production management literacy training by Dr. Endang Mahpudin, M.M. The following session was carried out by Ms. Fonny Arisandy Jacob, SE, MSi., who shared a lecture about financial management.

The participants followed each session enthusiastically. The spirit was visible in their learning progress during the training and the Q&A session. They had a chance to discuss, train, and apply their obtained knowledge directly at the trainings. Those practices will help the participants to grow their 33 businesses.

Hani Siti Nuraini, a participant from Mulya Sejati Village, said, “I already have a SME called “The Rujakan”. However, I have been operating the business heedlessly. For example, I didn’t mind little profit, but through the training, I learned how to estimate profits, prepare production, and manage finances.”

Hopefully, the training provided by AWS and Habitat Indonesia will create SME actors who can manage their finances properly and possess a broad business knowledge. Moreover, those SME actors are expected to acquire a strong entrepreneurship mentality that will help them to grow their businesses through various circumstances and challenges.

To have a physical disability was not a choice that Mr. Harman would like to make. He uses a wheelchair for daily activities. Despite the circumstance, his physical disability is not a barrier to his creative pursuit. He carried out several ventures previously, including selling prepaid credits for handphone and making household crafts. He ought to support his daily needs through them.

However, his concern came from a fundamental necessity; he had to survive in an unsafe and uncomfortable house.

Due to the poor housing condition, Mr. Harman, a resident of Karampuang 1 village, Mamuju, South Sulawesi, told us that it was difficult for him to use the toilet. “It’s hard to use the toilet. The floor was made of wood, and it’s a squat toilet, so I could only use it from the wheelchair.”

The home that was supposed to be his safe shelter caused a vital concern in Mr. Harman’s life.

Furthermore, his condition worsened in 2019 due to the earthquake that shook Sulawesi’s land. Mamuju Regency, where Mr. Harman lives, was heavily affected by the quake. His house was one of the victims of the incident.

Mr. Harman felt helpless as he couldn’t leave and flee farther from his place despite the crumbling roof and walls. He was forced to stay in his damaged house even though he feared the aftershocks would follow the quake.

But everything is beautiful in its time; Habitat Indonesia arrived at Mamuju to provide several earthquake survivors with proper housing assistance. Mr. Harman was one of the selected residents to receive the aid. The house built for him was an earthquake-resistant house with disabled-friendly toilets.

Gratitude was visibly conveyed through his expression as he said, “After Habitat came and renovated my house, alhamdulillah, I feel peaceful, comfortable, and I can sleep well since Habitat gave my house’s foundation earthquake protection.”

The difficulty in using the toilet that he used to experience has become easier because of a wheelchair ramp that helps him to move from the wheelchair to the seated toilet built by Habitat. Now, Mr. Harman feels at peace in his home.

“Thank you, Habitat and donors, for building an earthquake-resistant house for me. I am very happy. May God reward you all for your kindness.” Said Mr. Harman. Now, he can focus on continuing his business as a woven carpet craftsman, which he has been doing for the past few years.

To celebrate the mall’s 2nd anniversary (November 2022), ASHTA District 8 collaborated with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, Rebricks, and Jangjo to initiate two sustainable social programs, namely #MinumKopiJadiSeni and #PilahSampahJadiRumah.

The #PilahSampahJadiRumah program is carried out by selling art sculptures created from used coffee grounds. The statues have a high artistic value since they are the creations of eight talented artists with each of their unique style and characteristics, such as Alphabad, Arnis Muhammad, Harishazka, Heartlab Bali, Mahaputra Vito, Popomangun, Ratu Tanggela, and Tragicoo.

Subsequently, the earnings from all the artworks sold in the auction will be donated to Habitat for Humanity Indonesia to build five decent houses in Mauk District, Tangerang Regency. The houses will use environmentally friendly building materials, namely multi-layer plastic concrete bricks (a mixture of cement and chopped plastic) created by the Rebricks company.

Habitat Indonesia invites the readers of Habitat Update to actively participate in bidding and collecting unique and extraordinary art sculptures. #SahabatHabitat can join the bidding by registering and clicking on the link in the catalog: #PilahSampahJadiRumah.

May the highest bidder win their most desirable artwork.