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East Jakarta residents start 'shop at your neighbors' movement
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A woman buys fresh fruit at the stall belonging to the resident of the Jatinegara Indah housing complex in East Jakarta in a Ramadhan bazaar on Saturday. The bazaar aims to empower the community as well as strengthen relationships in the light of the fasting month. (Courtesy of Jatinegara Indah RT08/File)
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s part of an effort to strengthen the bond between neighbors while bolstering the local economy, residents of Jatinegara Indah housing complex in East Jakarta came up with an idea to start a “shop at your neighbors” movement.
The idea materialized through a bazaar that aims to empower the community as well as strengthen relationships in the light of the Ramadhan fasting month.
The bazaar, organized by the local Family Welfare Movement (PKK), was inaugurated on Friday and will run for two weeks until June 1. It provides various needs for residents, such as fruits, homemade beverages and clothing.
Organizers said the inaugural event was intended to engage residents in economic transactions and provide an opportunity for them to better know one another.
Joining the bazaar are two automakers as well as 20 local tenants, said Rasmi Hartati, 43, the head of the organizing committee.
The event has encouraged residents to start a business and allowed sellers to showcase their products, such as homemade cakes and juices.
“We want to contribute something to the community and we expect it could help spin the economic wheel in our area,” Rasmi said.
To become a tenant in the two-week event, each resident is required to pay a Rp 525,000 (US$37.22) contribution fee. They will be provided with a stall.
“The tents are rented from our own residents who run the business. So, we are basically connecting one resident to another,” Rasmi said, adding that she hoped the event could inspire thousands of other residential areas to follow suit.
The complex is considered a middle- to upper-income community that is home to more than 1,000 families from various backgrounds.
The event has also provided residents with an alternative weekend or leisure-time destination, even for non-Muslims.
“At times like this, it’s definitely a bad idea to travel outside [the area] due to traffic jams,” said Michael, 42.
Some residents used the opportunity tongabuburit (waiting for evening prayers to mark the end of fasting). Muslims all over the world began fasting from dawn to dusk on Thursday.
“The event enlivens the euphoria of Ramadhan. It provides an opportunity for us to know each resident better,” said 25-year-old Praditya Septa Hise Saputra, a Transportation Ministry official who bought several products from the bazaar, including fresh fruits and several cups of juice.
Getting to know the people who live next door has been widely encouraged following the recent spate of terror attacks in Indonesia.
As former terror convict Ali Fauzi warned, residents needed to be vigilant because terrorists “have many faces and have the ability to camouflage”.
Praditya said he expected the event to be held annually and suggested that more promotional activities and preparation should be carried out for next year’s edition.
“I think there is still room for improvement. The number of tenants could be raised and many residents might not yet be aware of the event,” he said.
Among the participating tenants was Ponco, 55, who became a fruit seller two years ago. He said the event helped him introduce his business to his neighbors.
“I can earn up to Rp 2.5 million a day,” he said.
