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Urban farms could accommodate street children: Sandiaga
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Jakarta deputy governor hopeful Sandiaga Uno holds up a shoe during the third and final official election debate at Bidakara Hotel in South Jakarta on Friday. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)
D
eputy governor hopeful Sandiaga Uno has pledged to address the problems surrounding street children in the capital by, for example, developing urban farms that he said could employ street children.
Sandiaga said that the large number of street children in the capital was a serious issue so that he and Anies Baswedan, who is running for governor, had prepared several plans to address the matter should they be elected.
"As we know, groceries are quite expensive. If the children could grow, let's say, chili, they could earn a good income in a positive way," the businessman-turn-politician said recently.
He said he would dedicate a special urban farming program to prevent children from spending time on the streets.
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He also reiterated that the Jakarta Smart Card (KJP) Plus program offered by him and Anies would also be earmarked for school dropouts. It is important, he said, for the city administration to accommodate such children in informal education programs.
"They will also get assistance funds to buy books and other stationery. With the nonformal education and books, they will stay off of the streets and wouldn't beg or busk," Sandiaga told The Jakarta Post.
Based on recent data released by the Jakarta Social Agency, there are 787 street children in Jakarta, with most living in West Jakarta and East Jakarta. (bbs)
