The government's budget for COVID-19 handling must be utilized for programs that protect children orphaned due to the pandemic
Jakarta (ANTARA) - House Speaker Puan Maharani has called on the government to maintain a record of children, who lost either or both their parents to COVID-19, so that they can be protected and assisted.

"To this day, I have not seen any special data on Indonesian children, who lost their parents due to COVID-19. We need that data as a way to provide protection," Maharani noted in her statement here on Wednesday.

She deemed the data as necessary, so that the nation can offer protection to these children, such as in the form of compensation, depending on the social conditions of each child.

"The government must be responsible for the future of Indonesian children, who became victims of this health crisis," Maharani emphasized.


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The chairperson of the House of Representatives (DPR) noted that, for the short term, children who became orphans due to COVID-19, should immediately be accompanied to help them to recover from the psychological impact of losing their parents.

The former coordinating minister for human development and culture believes this step will help to revive the children's spirit and passion for learning.

"The government's budget for COVID-19 handling must be utilized for programs that protect children orphaned due to the pandemic. The protection program can come in the form of compensation, scholarship, or study aid," she emphasized.

Earlier, she had provided aid to Alviano Dafa Raharja, an eight-year-old child who lost both his parents to COVID-19.

Vino's story went viral due to the fact that he had to self-isolate all by himself in his home at West Kutai, East Kalimantan.

Currently, Vino is at his parents' hometown in Sragen District, Central Java, along with his grandfather.


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Translator: Imam Budilaksono, Fadhli R
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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