Funds donated to social institutions

JAKARTA (JP): About 1,557 people from 36 social institutions in the city will receive financial assistance of Rp 141.9 million from the Ministry of Social Services, an official said.

Asmono, the ministry's secretary-general, said Rp 65.7 million of the assistance would be given to 20 orphanages with 730 children, Rp 28.8 million to four institutions for senior citizens and Rp 47.4 million to 12 institutions for the disabled.

He said the donation was part of Rp 1.8 billion to be given to 481 social institutions involving about 20,000 people nationwide.

This is the remainder of Rp 16 billion in funds collected by former social services minister Siti Hardijanti Rukmana to help the poor and laid-off workers during the prolonged economic crisis, Asmono was quoted by Antara as saying Thursday.

"Each of those getting the donation will receive Rp 1,000 in cash for 90 days. After that, the associations are expected to get funds from other sources," Minister of Social Services Justika Sjarifudin Baharsjah said Thursday. (ivy)