Street children get aid

Street children get aid

JAKARTA: Up to 70 students from the School for Street Children
in Kampung Kakap, Penjaringan subdistrict, North Jakarta,
received assistance on Monday from the state's social safety
network program.

Director General of Middle and Basic Education at the Ministry
of National Education Indradjati Sidi symbolically handed over
the money, amounting to Rp 150,000 for each student, to the
students' parents in a modest ceremony on Sunday in Kampung
Kakap.

Farid Faqih, the coordinator of (Param) Pangan untuk Rakyat
Miskin (Food for Poor People), the non-governmental organization
which manages the school, accompanied Indradjati at the handover
ceremony.

Indradjati said that the money would hopefully be used for
additional nutrition and stationery.

The school, located under the Gedong Panjang toll road
overpass, started operating on July 23, 2000, with 30 students.

In September of last year, the school, with 70 students,
changed its name to Sekolah Anak Jalanan (School for Street
Children).

The school's operation, including the teachers' salaries,
depends on aid from businesspeople and other sources, Faqih said,
adding that Param managed another school for street children in
Pedongkelan, East Jakarta, which had 130 students. --Antara