TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Pawon'e Arek-Arek collective frees people from fear of hunger

Started by a group of 30-somethings, a charity movement is growing and distributing food as an independent collective to help people in need.

Reno Surya (The Jakarta Post)
Premium
Surabaya
Tue, February 16, 2021

Share This Article

Change Size

Pawon'e Arek-Arek collective frees people from fear of hunger Volunteers of Pawon'e Arek-Arek pose for a photograph while shopping for groceries at a market in Surabaya, East Java. The food charity is an independent, self-funded collective that distributes food each week to people in need. (Courtesy of Ivan Darski/Ivan Darski)

T

he setting sun accompanied Yoyo, Rempel, Ryan and fellow volunteers to a market in the East Java capital, while the incoming dark clouds that seemed to hover overhead prompted them to hurry.

Clutching sheets of brown recycled paper, they were ready to hunt for their groceries, scattering in all directions on arriving at the market. Less than an hour later, they regrouped, holding big bags filled with a variety of foodstuffs, from vegetables to fresh chicken and to spices that were ready to be chopped and fried into snacks.

Yoyo, Rempel and Ryan, all in their early 30s, are cofounders of a food charity called Pawon'e Arek-Arek, meaning “kitchen guys”. They dislike the term "founders" and prefer “volunteers" instead. "No gods, no masters," they say, all asking not to use their full names. The charity distributes free food weekly to people who are struggling to survive the COVID-19 health emergency in suburban villages, or kampungs.

"Initially, this program was created to meet the needs of [people we knew personally]. Many of us have been badly affected by the pandemic. We faced reduced incomes or job loss,” said Yoyo.

“After the pandemic had gone on for a month, we began to see another urgency. Aside from us, others were also in need, suffering from the situation just like we do,” he added, which led the trio to launch the movement on June 1, 2020.

Their activities run from dusk till dawn. At 5 p.m., the volunteers of Pawon'e Arek-Arek can be found busily grinding spices, preparing broth and chopping vegetables in the living room. On the day that I visited, they were busy preparing chicken soup for distributing the next day.

Yoyo, Rempel and Ryan said Pawon’e provided the “simple hope” that through solidarity, everyone can survive and outride the health crisis together.

to Read Full Story

  • Unlimited access to our web and app content
  • e-Post daily digital newspaper
  • No advertisements, no interruptions
  • Privileged access to our events and programs
  • Subscription to our newsletters
or

Purchase access to this article for

We accept

TJP - Visa
TJP - Mastercard
TJP - GoPay

Redirecting you to payment page

Pay per article

Pawon'e Arek-Arek collective frees people from fear of hunger

Rp 29,000 / article

1
Create your free account
By proceeding, you consent to the revised Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.
Already have an account?

2
  • Palmerat Barat No. 142-143
  • Central Jakarta
  • DKI Jakarta
  • Indonesia
  • 10270
  • +6283816779933
2
Total Rp 29,000
{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.