'Look at us, we're poor'

'Look at us, we're poor'

PADANG, West Sumatra: People used to be embarrassed to admit that they were poor.

Soon after the government launched the poverty alleviation program, in which poor villages are given financial assistance to establish economic units to achieve self-sufficiency, suddenly many villages and subdistricts were flaunting their poverty.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. revealed the new pride of being poor during his meeting with the provincial government officials here on Friday.

However, "no matter what the problems are, the poverty alleviation program has to succeed in helping millions of Indonesians still living below the poverty line," Yogie was quoted by Antara as vowing on Saturday. (swe)