Speaking at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday evening, he explained that community empowerment has become a special focus for President Prabowo Subianto, as evidenced by the establishment of a dedicated coordinating ministry to oversee community empowerment efforts.
"This signals a strong commitment from the President to bolster empowerment. We shouldn't rely solely on social assistance because if it isn't accompanied by empowerment, it ultimately demotivates the beneficiaries," he said after attending a meeting on community empowerment programs led by President Prabowo.
He explained that, to realize the goal, the government will design appropriate empowerment programs to be provided to social assistance beneficiaries, especially those who are of productive age.
The minister further said that empowerment programs, such as business capital assistance and capacity-building programs, offer greater value compared to social assistance.
Yusuf affirmed that the government is currently working to integrate various existing community empowerment programs and connect them with social assistance beneficiaries to help them become more independent and empowered.
"The main goal is to integrate these programs within the framework of empowering beneficiary families so they do not rely on social assistance, but instead have the motivation to become more self-reliant families," he remarked.
Despite this push for self-reliance, he noted that some groups, specifically older adults and people with disabilities, are indeed vulnerable, making it possible for them to become lifelong social assistance beneficiaries.
Minister Yusuf earlier reported that 77 thousand poor families have become independent and no longer rely on social assistance in the first year of President Prabowo's administration.
Those families were beneficiaries of the government's social assistance, such as the Family Hope Program (PKH).
For next year, the Ministry of Social Affairs is targeting that more than 300 thousand beneficiary families of PKH will escape from dependence on social assistance provided by the government.
Related news: Indonesia aims to graduate 300,000 families from aid program by 2026
Related news: Indonesia shifts focus from aid to empowerment in 2026 social budget
Related news: RI Govt verifies beneficiary accounts for cash aid distribution
Translator: Genta T, Andi F, Raka A
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
