Government, Nestle Partner to Help Waste Scavengers Get Through Coronavirus Pandemic

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Indonesian government has partnered with Nestle Indonesia to help the country’s waste scavengers who have been hurting from the impact of the  coronavirus pandemic.

The partnership is part of the Clean Indonesia Movement program in which the country’s Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs teamed up with Nestle Indonesia.

Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs Luhut Panjaitan shared the government’s concern in managing the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on Indonesia.

Read also: Luhut Panjaitan: Indonesian SMEs are the Backbone of National Economy

Several economic stimuli and government assistant schemes have been launched to prevent a bigger damage from taking shape.

“We are continuously improving our performance and regularly collaborating with numerous parties to distribute aid to vulnerable communities. Hopefully, Nestle’s effort can be an example for other companies,” said Luhut in a written statement issued on June 30.

Read also: More Indonesian SMEs Poised to Gain Access to Social Assistance Programs

Director of Nestle Indonesia Ganesan Ampalavanar said that the company is eager to assist the most vulnerable groups affected by the coronavirus pandemic as much as possible.

“One of the most affected communities that we care about is waste scavengers. They play an important role in the waste management system, development of the circular economy, and environmental protection. 

“By supporting waste scavengers with nutritious food and beverages, we hope that they will remain healthy during the coronavirus pandemic,” Ganesan said.

Nestle Indonesia distributed over 110,000 of the company’s own food and beverage products.

Read also: Maker of Indomie Posts Net Profit Gain during Coronavirus Pandemic

They also supplied the waste scavenging community with 1,400 packages of basic goods (sembako).

The aid packages were distributed to waste scavengers in the Greater Jakarta Area, Central Java, and East Java.

In East Java, the distribution of aid focused on Malang, Pasaruan, Madiun, Nganjuk, Demak, and Kediri.

Covid-19’s chain reaction

Indonesia has taken a hit from the coronavirus pandemic not only through its impact on the national economy. Indonesia’s Finance Minister said on June 27 that the pandemic has caused a domino effect on politics, the economy, social, and financial sectors.

The spread of the Covid-19 virus in Indonesia has been especially hard in the country’s most populous island as well as its economic powerhouse, Java.

The Java island contributes the biggest to Indonesia’s gross domestic product with DKI Jakarta taking the top spot.

Read also: The Covid-19 Crisis and Its Domino Effect on Indonesia

Indonesia’s Minister of Manpower is expecting to see up to 5 million Indonesians thrown out of work or put on a furlough as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Covid-19 data for July 1 shows that confirmed coronavirus cases have totaled 57,770, up by 1,385 from June 30. 

(Writer: Ade Miranti Karunia | Editor: Bambang P. Jatmiko) 

Source: https://money.kompas.com/read/2020/06/30/211300526/luhut-gandeng-nestle-salurkan-bantuan-kepada-pekerja-pemungut-sampah