Rp 3.4 billion for Padang street kids

PADANG: The Asian Development Bank will allocate Rp 3.4 billion this year to support the activities of 11 shelters for street children in Padang, West Sumatra.

Head of Social Welfare Program at the provincial office of social affairs Erliza Rupiah Riawati told Antara on Wednesday that each shelter would receive Rp 313 million to be used for scholarships, job training activities and a social workers' honorarium.

She said, however, that the money has not been transferred, pending complete auditing reports for the period of 1999/2000. "If they complete their audit reports, the money will be disbursed this month," she said.

She added that through the state budget last year, the government had also channeled scholarships for 351 school students, who respectively received Rp 35,000 for nine months. (01)