The spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) hampers people’s activities, including people in street situations. They have no choice but to expose themselves and work to earn daily income. They work as street musicians, angklung players (bamboo instrument music), and selling snacks on the streets. There are also many sellers who stay at home, because the stalls are prohibited to operate and there are no customers due to quarantine.
Harapan Fian took the initiative to spread information about “Open Donations” in early April. We got positive responses from various solidarity action movements, both individuals and groups to help Harapan Fian’s friends. With this support, Harapan Fian began distributing food boxes and grocery packages for people in street situations. We distributed food and groceries packages to Badran village children whose families work on the streets, teenagers who live on the streets, and residents who live at the Winongo river settlement, Suryowijayan.
Ahmad, a Suryowijayan resident who coordinated the distribution of aid in his village greatly appreciated our work to support the lower class of society.
“After the pandemic is over, I hope the government can make an economic recovery as soon as possible,” he told us.
The impact of the pandemic is not limited to food, but spread across various aspects of social life. Harapan Fian also supports street people by providing funds to rent a residence. Some of our friends have been at risk of being kicked out from their residence because they cannot afford to pay.
Harapan Fian sends thanks to any parties that support our work.
1. CIMSA UGM. Raised funds through kitabisa.com
2. Dapur Aksi Berbagi (DAB) supported food boxes daily and groceries packages three times from April to May 2020.
3. Solidaritas Pangan Jogja (SPJ) gave 20 grocery packages in April to May and distributed food boxes in early to mid June.
4. Spilla Jewellery gave 15 grocery packages at the end of April.
5. Individual donors. Pak Andrie, a lecturer from University of Cokroaminoto Yogyakarta, gave 5 kilograms of rice and Ibu Nita, a lecturer from Janabadra University ,gave 6 bottles of hand-sanitizer and money of amount Rp. 200.000. Ipul supported us with 45 packages of rice and fresh vegetables from his fundraising in mid May.
6. At the end of May, Jajan Pahala Community donated 40 aid packages.