"Currently, (data) at the Banjarmasin Social Affairs Office (stated that) as many as 37 children had lost their parents to COVID-19," Head of the Banjarmasin Social Affairs Office Iwan Ristianto stated in Banjarmasin on Friday.
"The ones who reported were from the family, complete with the documents, such as a letter from the hospital stating that parents of the children had died of COVID-19," he remarked.
Ristianto noted that his administration had checked relevant data pertaining to the personal data, family register, and residence of the children, who had lost their parents to COVID-19.
"They are still below 18, and they are not married yet," he remarked.
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The Banjarmasin Social Affairs Office will inform the central government of the collected data.
"We will wait and see as to how the central government assists them. The city government will adjust, so (we) do not give the same (type of assistance)," he remarked.
Ristianto called on chiefs of neighborhood associations and community units (RT/RW to immediately report to the Banjarmasin Social Affairs Office in the event of any other child having lost their parents to COVID-19. The regional government will assist the children that had yet to receive aid from the central government.
The Social Affairs Ministry plans to allocate aid for orphans for four months in 2021 and for a period of 12 months in 2022.
The orphaned children that had yet to be enrolled in school will receive Rp300 thousand (US$21) per month, while the students will receive Rp 200 thousand (US$14) per month.
The assistance will be distributed after collecting the data of orphaned children and providing a card to access the assistance. (
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Translator: Sukarli, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
