So, there is no reason why orphans cannot be successful. So don't give up, let's tryGorontalo (ANTARA) - Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini met with beneficiaries of government assistance, such as people with disabilities, the elderly, and children orphaned by COVID-19, in Gorontalo, Sulawesi Island, on Thursday and urged them to not give up.
"Therefore, there must be no surrender, because I believe that God gives us extraordinary strength, we just have to use it. So, there is no reason why orphans cannot be successful. So don't give up, let's try," she remarked.
She also played a video of Gading, a person living with disabilities in Surakarta, who works as a merchant with an electric motorbike provided by the Social Affairs Ministry.
"Gading crawls, cannot talk, but (he can work) because of his extraordinary spirit. He has a will because he believes that God exists and is the Most Just," she added.
Prior to assistance from Social Affairs Ministry, Gading was selling his wares on an onthel bicycle. Due to his condition, he could not make many sales and his daily income was pegged at around Rp 300 thousand (US$20) at best, Rismaharini said.
With the help of the electric motorbike, he can sell more and varied merchandise and travel further, and as a result, his income has also doubled, she added.
Risma encouraged children, who received attention assistance for orphans, victims of COVID-19, and people with disabilities, to not harbor low self-esteem. She said she also tried hard to allocate more than just Rp300 thousand (US$20) per child.
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The total assistance provided to the elderly and people with disabilities in Gorontalo province was Rp142,571,500 (almost US$10 thousand), of which Rp1,938,500 (US$135) was provided for procurement of wheelchairs and improve nutrition for the elderly, Rp34.45 million (US$2,405 USD) was provided for the procurement of three-wheeled motorbikes for people with physical disabilities, and Rp7.5 million (US$523) was provided to help persons with disabilities open food stalls, officials said.
Other assistance included Rp3 million (US$209) for adaptive walking sticks, Rp24.363 million (US$1701) for electric wheelchairs, Rp42.27 million (almost US$3 thousand) for multi-purpose wheelchairs, Rp26.8 million (US$1,871) for prosthetic legs, and Rp2.25 million (US$157) for entrepreneurship for tire repair shops to KP Napza, they added.
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During her working visit to Gorontalo, Rismaharini was accompanied by the secretary general, director general of Social Empowerment, director general of Social Security, director general of PFM, special staff to the Minister, secretary general of PFM, secretary general of Social Security, and director of Family Social Security.
Sumarni Ali, who lost her husband to COVID-19, admitted that she was very lucky that her son, who has just enrolled in elementary school has received assistance from the Social Affairs Ministry.
Her husband, Ferian Pakaya, died 1.2 years ago due to the deadly virus. Since then, Sumarni has been supporting her two children by selling wares.
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Translator: Desi P, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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