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A surge of COVID-19 cases has led to over 175,000 active cases and 30,770 related deaths in Indonesia as of 3 February 2021 – the highest death toll in Southeast Asia. The country has experienced 1.1 million infections and new cases are rapidly rising in the four most populous provinces. Health experts warn that some hospitals are on the brink of collapse and are forced to turn away COVID-19 patients. Schools are closed. Social distancing and face masks are mandatory in public places. Restrictions on large-scale gatherings and nonessential travel vary in each province, city and regency.
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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
On 4 April, Timor Island (around Kupang, East Sumba) was impacted by strong winds and flash flooding of up to 2 metres. The winds caused trees to fall and power outages.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: 16 Number of Compassion assisted children affected: 12
New information
The local church staff are checking on the children to determine impact to their homes and families from the recent strong winds and flooding. Some families have temporarily moved to another area to live with friends and relatives.
Prayer
Please continue to pray for the protection and provision for all affected church partners, children and families.
The situation
There has been heavy rain in the area since March and in early April Sabu Nusa Tenggara experienced flooding of up to 2 metres, which impacted many homes.
Global Compassion impact
Number of local church partners affected: not yet confirmed. Number of Compassion assisted children affected: not yet confirmed.
New information
The local church staff are checking on the children to determine impact to their homes and families. Some families have temporarily moved to another area.
Prayer
Please pray for the protection and provision of affected children, families and the church partners.
Please note: Due to the current pandemic, many 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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