Cash aid helps poor buy food, earn more

Andi Hajramurni and Yemris Fointuna ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Makassar and Kupang   |  Mon, 06/02/2008 10:20 AM  |  The Archipelago

AID RECIPIENT: Daeng Coa, an aging resident of Nannampu village in Makassar, South Sulawesi, sits in her rented hut in this photo dated May 5, 2008. Coa received cash aid from the government to help cope with increased fuel prices. (JP/Andi Hajramurni)

Life has become extremely hard for Daeng Coa, a resident believed to be around 100 years old of Pannampu village, Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Despite her old age she continues to beg for money with her 70-year-old daughter Daeng Boddi.

If they are fortunate they can collect Rp 20,000 (US$2.20) per day, but often they only take home Rp 5,000, always under risk of being caught by police.

"We have to play hide and seek with law and order officers so that we won't be caught in action," Coa said, referring to the local government's frequent raids as part of a decree that bans people from giving money to beggars in the streets.

Their neighbors often give them food, allowing them to save to pay the monthly rent on their hut-like house of Rp 100,000 or for the times they are too ill to beg. Their house is a single room of four by three meters, with a small bed the only furniture.

While the cash aid provided by the government after it raised fuel prices by an average of 28 percent may be a small amount, Coa is among several low income earners who say the payment has been very beneficial.

She said the cash aid of Rp 300,000 has helped cover the basic costs of living, which she has always struggled to meet.

"It may be too low to cover all the skyrocketing prices caused by the rises of fuel prices, but I am very, very grateful to have it. It gives my family at least a month to live without worrying about food and house rent," Coa said.

Coa said she had spent the money to pay her rent and buy 30 liters of rice, five liters of kerosene, sugar, fish and other needs.

"I also bought these 10 Chinese pills that a neighbor has told me to buy for my stomach disorder," Coa said.

She used to work at Makassar central market, while her late husband worked as a pedicab driver. She was forced to quit at 80 when she was too weak to continue working, and has been a beggar ever since.

"We have no other choice," Coa said.

Imanuel Manu, 62, of Fontein village, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, only learnt about the cash aid when the chairman of his neighborhood unit told him to go to the local post office to collect the money.

"I was touched and cried after learning that it was free money from the government," Imanuel, a door-to-door vegetable vendor, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

He spent the money on a used carriage bought from a friend to sell more vegetables door-to-door in nearby villages.

"I had been saving money to buy the carriage, but had only collected Rp 200,000 so far," Imanuel said, adding that the carriage cost him Rp 450,000.

"I earned Rp 20,000 a day before. With the carriage I now hope I can earn double that so I can also save money for my family's needs," Imanuel said.

Marthen Dillak, 57, a traditional salt producer of Pitay village, Sulamu sub-district, Kupang, said the cash aid would allow him to buy a bigger container to produce more salt and earn more money.

"I had been dreaming about buying the container years ago. I knew it was almost impossible for me to afford to. I'm glad I can have one now," Marthen said, adding that he bought the container for Rp 250,000.

Previously, he said, he could only produce some five to seven kilograms of salt, while the new container will allow him to produce up to 30 kilograms of salt a day.

"With this, now we can have more rice for our meals," Marthen said.

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