'The poor don't want cows only TVs'

The Nobel Peace Prize, which went to Mohammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank for their efforts to help ""create economic and social development from below"", links poverty reduction to peace. Conflicts in the country are affecting poverty-reduction efforts, which may have to take a back seat until conflict-stricken areas are rebuilt. The Jakarta Post asked some people for their thoughts on the issue.

Gogo Manurung is an activist with the Partnership for Clean Emissions on Jl. Casablanca in South Jakarta. He lives with his family in Pondok Gede, Bekasi;

It is true that efforts to reduce poverty depend on economic conditions and the political will of the government. But we need to face facts. Poor people prefer getting money the easy way to working hard.

If you give them cash, they spend it unproductively. In other words, give them a cow and they will sell it to buy a television.

That's the reality and that's why the government should not give cash aid to the poor.

The government needs to look into the alternatives. It would be appropriate, for example, to give boats to fishermen and motorcycles to ojek drivers.

Novita, is a stay-at-home mom who lives in Warung Buncit, South Jakarta:

I came to Jakarta 15 years ago to join my husband who had already had a job here. We did whatever we had to to earn money.

My husband's salary as an employee of a small-scale contractor was not enough to put our three children through school. He lost his job several years ago.

We opened a food stall, which is our main source of income.

The government should provide soft loans for the poor so we can develop small businesses.

-- The Jakarta Post