Eti Survives On IDR 30,000 Each Day During Pandemic

The activity restrictions imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 have an impact on Eti’s life. During the pandemic, she has to survive on IDR 30,000 (USD 2) each day.

Eti feels grateful for the foodstuff packages sold at half-price through Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT)’s Cheap Food Operation. (ACTNews)

ACTNews, CENTRAL JAKARTA – Many poor families in Indonesia are still suffering from the economic impact caused by the pandemic. The activity restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has led to a deterioration in the poor’s livelihood.

Eti (60), a laundry worker from Central Jakarta, was among those who are severely affected by the pandemic. Working as a laundry worker, she has a job only if a family needs her service.

For her daily needs, she relies on his husband’s income as a parking attendant. Before the pandemic, he could bring home IDR 60,000 to IDR 70,000 a day. Since public activities were restricted, he can only bring home half of it.

“Now my husband brings home IDR 30,000 at most. During the pandemic, our relatives and colleagues have been working harder. They do anything halal to make ends meet,” said Eti to Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) Central Jakarta, Thursday (10/28/2021).

Thanks to ACT’s Cheap Food Operation that was held at Al-Mubarok Mosque in Johar Baru, Central Jakarta, Eti was able to bring home a foodstuff package that she bought at half-price.

“Alhamdulillah, I’m so grateful for the foodstuff package that is worth IDR 100,000. Sold at IDR 50,000, I still can afford it and it is enough for me and my family for the next few weeks.”

Cheap Food Operation is a program launched by ACT to help impoverished communities to get staple food packages by buying them at half-price. It aims to help people who are still economically recovering from the pandemic. []