Life on the rails

Life on the rails

A stone's throw from the "city within a city" that is the
thriving, ever expanding retail complex of Mangga Dua, North
Jakarta, lies another, not so pretty face of the the capital. To
image-conscious city administrators, the slum of Kampung Bandan,
North Jakarta, is no doubt a blemish on the tidy facade that they
choose to present to the world.

But the boys of the area are using a little ingenuity to make
ends meet. Dropouts all, they have built wooden trolley boxes
with wheels made from old axles to carry passengers along the
disused railway tracks running through the area.

In the morning, they transport housewives to the traditional
market in Ancol, and in the early evening they wait to take
workers back home, for a cost of Rp 1,000 each ride.

At the end of the day, when all their takings have been
divvied up between them, they get enough to support their
families and treat themselves to a little something. Their
example of resourcefulness and determination is one that many of
their more fortunate fellow citizens would do well to follow as
the city celebrates its 476th founding anniversary on Sunday.