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Prone to fire and fresh air problems, people in Tambora figure out life in a slum area
Living in a small alley near Duri Station in Tambora, West Jakarta, Nur Walidah, 37, prefers to sit outside her house, along with other mothers, while nurturing her four-year-old daughter.While the minimum standard of adequate living is a bit more than 7 square meters per person, it is not unheard for a family of four, or even more, to live in a cramped house as little as 15 sq m in size. On average, there are 17 Jakartans living to each 1 sq m of the city.
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Parking space: People park their motorbikes in a small alley on April 17, 2024. The alley burned down after a fire broke in 2009. (JP/Nur Janti)
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iving in a small alley near Duri Station in Tambora, West Jakarta, Nur Walidah, 37, prefers to sit outside her house, along with other mothers, while nurturing her four-year-old daughter.
Nur lives with their two daughters in her husband’s childhood house, which is 15 square meters in total area. The bedroom and living room are divided by two cupboards, while the bathroom door is simply a curtain.
Her husband, Hendra, 43, works odd jobs, mainly as a motorcycle mechanic, after being laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On April 17, two people came to Hendra's house to fix a motorcycle. The customers sat at the front of the house, as Hendra’s 3 sq m living room could only fit two to three people. People living in jam-packed areas prefer to open their doors all day or sit outside of their houses to get fresh air.
“Do you know why my father made a gap between these two cupboards? It is to look out if somebody arrives at the door,” Hendra’s four-year-old daughter, Anin, chirped.
Living in a densely populated area, Nur and Hendra are aware that their neighborhood is prone to fire and theft.
Born and raised in Tambora, Hendra has experienced three fires, the most recent of which burned down his house in 2009. During the fire, Hendra was working while his wife was looking after their three-month-old first child.
