17 APRIL 2020

The forgotten children of salon employees in Indonesia

By Daniel Jens, Marketing Director, Indonesia

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, thousands of salons in Indonesia had to stop operations and all the employees had to stay at home for weeks without any income. The poor children of these salon employees ranging from two months to five years of age had to endure hunger for days. Some only eat rice once a day, supplemented by biscuits.

Our salon community, Komunitas Salon & Hairdresser Indonesia, started to raise funds within the community, and in four days we helped 65 families with starving kids. But there remains many more families who need food. We have a long fight ahead of us.

We will continue to fight hard for these kids!

Together we can overcome!

_{Photo by Sam Beasley on Unsplash}

16 APRIL 2020

Let the world heal for a better world

By Mujriah, Mother, Indonesia

An important message in this trying period is, use it well.

Use this time to think positive.
Use it to spend more time with your family and children.
Use this time while it lasts; when the world claims its right to breathe clean air.

But also let's pray it won't be too long that the world and the work ask you to return.

Treasure this knowledge that even when we are apart, we share and care more than ever before. Applause from the neighbours when a nurse heads out to work. A piano concert in the balcony with audiences around the neighbourhood. A food order using Grab that is donated to the driver himself, and many other stories that touch our hearts and inspire our minds.

We all stand apart to heal the world and the people stand together again for our better world.

_{Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash}

Kindness is contagious: Sending soap and supplies to Eastern Indonesia

By Zack, 1000 Days Fund, Indonesia

As COVID-19 has spread, it has led to the lockdown of most developed cities in the world and stretched their healthcare resources to breaking point. We have heard all about it, and obviously are as panicked as anyone else.

But as it spreads beyond those cities into less-developed regions, there is much less healthcare available, less awareness, less equipment. Once the virus reaches there, it could ravage through villages unhindered.

For the last two years, the 1000 Days Fund has worked hand-in-hand with frontline village health volunteers (kader), bidan (midwives) and sub-district health facilities (Puskasmas) on more than 25 islands across Indonesia, installing colourful, life-sized, easy-to-understand height charts in the homes of pregnant women and women with children under two years old, to help fight stunting. The chart is full of information related to first 1,000 days of care, but the most important thing right now is washing your hands with soap.

The more bars of soap we can get to the health centres in Flores and Komodo, and the sooner we can get them there, the better chance we have of saving lives.We are working rapidly and in constant contact with the Puskasmas in Labuan Bajo, and already have close to a tonne of soap headed their way. The team there believes that if we can get soap to the villages early enough we can keep people healthy and not overwhelm the hospital with cases, leading to potential disaster.

We can all do our part to minimise a potential humanitarian disaster.

_{Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash}

1 APRIL 2020

Love in survival mode

By Edrida, Writer, Indonesia

This March is survival month but full of love as my family and I journey through this lockdown. Due to the virus, my invitation to the Asian Global Women conference in Malaysia got cancelled, and I was asked by Parliament House (where I work in Public Relations) to work from home for two weeks. I decided to use this time to establish a routine and to do all the things I’ve put on hold. Such as writing my mum’s biography — she has been a single parent since my father passed away sixteen years ago — I now have more time to communicate with my mother who lives in another city. I also have more time for my pregnant third sister who works as a specialist in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in a public hospital. She shares health tips and I try to decrease her stress by sharing humorous stories and poetry. She is grateful for the support especially since it is a hectic time for her.

I’ve encouraged myself, family and friends, to stay positive, and to maintain a sense of togetherness — even though we are isolated from each other, we maintain contact and community by staying in touch online. Staying positive impacts all of us in the office, family, neighbourhood, community and country — so we need to keep seeing the positive in these hard times. And I am grateful that I now have time to write for “our better world” and read my books. All the world has one voice now, let’s use it to strengthen each other and send love. My reflection for 2020 is to face the future with a healthy mind, body and soul. This will pass and we will survive. Hugs and love from Indonesia.

_{Photo by Liv Bruce on Unsplash}