In July 2021, Indonesia became the global epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic, with daily reported cases reaching over 55,000. The nation's vaccination program has commenced and the government instigated various lockdowns and restrictions to try and slow the spread of the virus. Schools were temporarily closed in many areas. Indonesians have been deeply affected economically and emotionally by the pandemic and its restrictions, with reports of violence against children dramatically increasing.
Our local church partners in Indonesia have continued to serve children in poverty by offering home-based care or gathering in small groups. Since the beginning of the pandemic, they have been able to deliver over 2,205,000 food packs and 1,468,000 hygiene kits to families in need.
Watch the video below from our Indonesian neighbours to learn more.
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The situation
Heavy rain on January 7th caused flooding and landslides around Sentani and Jayapura Papua. Roads were temporarily blocked and the floodwaters were up to one metre deep.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: 2 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: 21
New information
Two local church partners and their communities in Papua were affected by the floods. Compassion has worked with the local government to provide support to all affected children and their families, such as clean water, food, clothing and dry blankets. All families have now been able to safely return to their homes and the floodwaters have receded.
Prayer
Please pray for the children, families and local churches affected by the recent floods and landslides in Papua. Pray for their safety during this ongoing wet season and pray for God's comfort and peace as they recover.
The situation
On October 31st, 2021, heavy rain in West Kalimantan caused the Kapuas River to overflow. The water level rose about 100-200cm and flooded several public facilities including a school, hospital and some local homes. With the help of local government, our Indonesian church partners delivered relief supplies to families affected by the flooding.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: not yet confirmed Number of Compassion assisted children affected: 90
New information
The floodwaters have now receded. All impacted children and families are reported to be safe and well, and able to resume their usual daily activities.
Prayer
Thank you for praying for the communities affected by the floods in west Kalimantan. Please continue to pray for protection over their homes, health and livelihoods during the ongoing rainy season.
The situation
Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupted on December 4th, 2021, blanketing portions of East Java with hot ash. In villages surrounding the volcano, there is widespread damage to homes and many have fled to makeshift shelters offered by the local government. Compassion has some local church partners nearby and our staff are still in the process of assessing the full impact of the eruption on their communities.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: not yet confirmed Number of Compassion assisted children affected: not yet confirmed
New information
At this stage, the reports from our local staff and churches in Indonesia indicate that all children and their families are safe and well following the eruption. We thank God for this good news! Staff are closely monitoring government directives should there be any further volcanic activitiy. They will provide the necessary relief support to families as needed.
Prayer
Please pray for the communities affected by the recent volcanic eruption in Indonesia. Pray for their safety, peace and comfort at this time.
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
Please note: Due to the current pandemic, many child development centres in Indonesia are operating at varying capacities. 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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