eronica Tan, the wife of Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama, held a gathering with supporters of the Ahok-Djarot Saiful Hidayat candidate pair on Wednesday that emphasized the importance of Child-Friendly Integrated Public Spaces (RPTRA) as community centers for mothers and children.
Veronica is the chairwoman of the Jakarta Family Welfare Movement (PKK) that initiated the RPTRA centers.
“At the RPTRAs, mothers can meet, talk and share experiences with each other, while they’re still able to watch their children play. The children's sense of belonging will grow, and the children can actively play outside,” Veronica said during a talk show held by the Women’s Care for Jakarta (PPKJ) movement at Rumah Lembang, the Ahok-Djarot campaign headquarters, in Central Jakarta.
(Read also: Ahok returns to City Hall this weekend)
Around 500 women attended the event, including some who live in subsidized apartments after being evicted from their homes for flood mitigation measures.
Residents can enjoy the facilities provided in the RPTRAs, such as libraries, clean toilets, breastfeeding rooms and multifunction rooms for children.
The city currently has 71 child-friendly parks and is constructing 117 more. The RPTRAs, which costs an average of Rp 600 million (US$45,011) each, are mostly financed through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects.
Veronica vowed to equip the RPTRAs with convenient stores managed by PKK members should her husband win the election later this month. She said she was also planning to provide training on growing chilies and vegetables.
“We, as women and mothers, are responsible for building good character in our children,” she said. (bbs)
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