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A surge of COVID-19 infections has led to 83,285 active cases and 18,000 total fatalities in Indonesia as of 6 December—the highest death toll in Southeast Asia. Many of the new cases are from four provinces on Java, the most densely populated island. Schools and large public gathering areas remain closed; however, public transit and access to essential services are widely available. Social distancing and face masks are mandatory in public places.
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Thank you for praying for children and families in Indonesia who have been impacted by COVID-19—and the local staff and churches who continue to serve them in difficult circumstances.
Since he was a young boy, Toni had one dream: to be an entrepreneur with his own chicken farm. He never imagined he would achieve his dream at 19 years old amidst a global pandemic. As COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on Indonesia’s economy, daily workers like Toni’s parents have been among the hardest hit. Read more open_in_new
The situation
Heavy rain caused flooding in Medan from 4—6 December.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: 0 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: 17
New information
The affected families were supported by the church with such things as food and clothing. The families are able to go back to their daily activities now.
Prayer
Thank you for your prayers for the affected children and families.
The situation
There has been heavy rain since October and recently the water embankments broke and caused flooding in the lowlands.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: 0 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: not yet confirmed
New information
Compassion assisted children from IO0117 were impacted by the flooding. The local church is assessing impact and will provide more information soon.
Prayer
Please pray for the safety of children in this area.
The situation
Heavy rain caused flooding in Medan from 4—6 December.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: 0 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: not yet confirmed
New information
Some children from IO0557 were impacted. The local church partner staff are doing an assessment and providing the affected families food and other hygiene items, as needed.
Prayer
Please pray for the protection and provision of the affected children and families.
Please note: Due to the current pandemic, most child development centres in Indonesia are temporarily closed. Our local church partners continue to meet the urgent needs of the children through home-based care.
Compassion’s program is contextualised across countries and communities, as well as age groups.
Compassion assisted children in Indonesia typically attend program activities at their local child development centre on Saturdays and Sundays. Here is an example of what a typical program day looks like for children in Indonesia.
8:00am - A time of prayer and devotion.
9:00am - Spiritual lessons where children sing songs and learn Bible stories. They are given complete Bibles once they enter middle school.
10:30am - Break time where children can play in a safe environment and develop friendships.
11:00am - Social-emotional lessons from conflict resolution to developing healthy self-esteem. Children often come from challenging home environments and are taught social and personal skills.
12:00pm - Lunch time where the meal usually consists of rice, meat, vegetables and fruit. Milk is provided for young children. Typical Indonesian foods that are rich with protein such as ‘Tempe’ and tofu are often provided. Children are given meals once or twice a week.
1:00pm - Health lessons where children are taught practical health and hygiene tips.
2:00pm - Letter writing and career planning. Older children work with local staff to identify their strengths and interests, setting realistic goals for their future.
Children also often have opportunities to join in extracurricular activities such as sporting activities, painting, singing, computer training and English courses. Older students receive practical skills training in areas like car repair and sewing. Every year parents are offered parenting classes.
of people live below the poverty line
mothers die from pregnancy related causes per 100,000 births
of people lack access to improved sanitation
Indonesia is the fourth-most populous country in the world, and its urban growth rate is enormously high. Infrastructure and resources are under constant pressure, with the conservation of Indonesia’s forests and peat lands a particular struggle.
Many of Indonesia’s more than 17,000 islands are at high risk of earthquake and volcanic eruption. Hundreds of thousands of families have been displaced and severely affected by natural disasters in recent years. Unfortunately, the number of children living on the streets has dramatically increased as a result, and many of these children suffer abuse through exploitation and child trafficking.
While poverty and low living standards persist throughout Indonesia, particularly in rural areas, there has been progress in the past decade.
Indonesia elected the Governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo, as President in 2014 after decades of military and autocratic rule. Mr Widodo, a former furniture maker known as an advocate for the poor, ran on a platform of reform, promising to eliminate corruption and modernise the nation.
Despite its growth as an emerging economy, Indonesia is the world’s fourth-most unequal nation, with its population’s richest one per cent controlling 49.3 per cent of its total wealth. President Widodo announced a new focus on addressing economic inequality in 2017, and the outcomes of that shift will be hugely important for the millions of Indonesians who still live in poverty.
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