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.

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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.

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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.

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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.