Ramadan on Bogor’s Streets: A Portrait of Seasonal Beggar Women Waiting for the Kindness of Passers-by
Five middle-aged women sat side by side at the edge of the road, on a mat made from used banners laid on a slightly sloping concrete sidewalk near Bogor’s Jembatan Layang Pakuan overpass. The deep-green banner bore the words ‘Berbagi Kebaikan’ (Sharing Kindness), aligning with their activity. They sat cross-legged, some tucking their feet to the side, backs leaning against the green-painted barrier wall. The five wore colourful headscarves; one even had a patterned cloth mask covering part of her face. They occasionally looked toward the road, watching the passing vehicles.
Next to them lay a large green plastic sack in the corner of the sidewalk. Simple sandals were scattered around the banner mat. While chatting softly among themselves, the women continued to face the road, waiting for attention or alms from passing motorists.
One of the group is Emi, 70, a resident of Ciheleut. Emi explained that she and her friends do not come to this spot all year round; they usually only gather there during Ramadan. ‘Only in Ramadan, otherwise on ordinary days I wouldn’t come here,’ Emi told Kompas.com at the location on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
For Emi, going to the flyover isn’t just about begging for money from passers-by; she said the sense of being with friends is another reason for coming. ‘Sometimes at home around this time one would be sleeping. Better to be here with them. If at home you just sit; here you can chat.’
She usually arrives late morning and stays until the fast-breaking meal (iftar). While there, they simply sit, talk, and wait to see if anyone offers food or money. ‘We arrived at 10am and stayed until Maghrib.’
Although Ramadan is associated with sharing, Emi says not every day do they receive alms. Sometimes they return home with little food or nothing. She notes there are times when someone gives food but not enough for all; distribution on the street often leads to scuffles among people nearby. ‘But sometimes the street-givers on the lower side like to scramble; not everyone is happy,’ she says.
Gifts are usually in the form of food, takjil, or occasionally money slipped into an envelope. She says she has received envelopes containing money; ‘Sometimes there are envelopes with Rp 100,000 inside. On the street, you are happy; at home you feel bored.’
Even if they do not always receive alms, Emi says she is glad to come. Being on the street is more enjoyable than staying home alone; conversing with friends makes time pass more quickly while waiting for the fast-breaking hour.
Despite gathering by the roadside, Emi says, to her knowledge they have never been moved on by the city’s Satpol PP. The officers normally only issue warnings to be careful and not disturb road users.