Keeping the Economy Running in Time of Pandemic

HSBC for Livelihood Program is a program implemented by Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) and supported by HSBC Indonesia in five villages assisted by WVI in the Simokerto program area in Surabaya to provide assistance and increase livelihood capacity after the pandemic. In this program, there are three major activity plans for one year of the program, one of them is food assistance using the Cash and Voucher Program method in collaboration with the Duithape digital platform. This program targets 1000 families in Simolawang, Sidodadi, Tambakrejo, Bulak Banteng and Tanah Kali Kewall villages.

Nur is Akbar’s mother, one of the representatives of WVI assisted children. Nur and her family live in an alley in Simolawang village. She is an administrator for the neighborhood committee and a social worker in her village. Her husband, Qomaruddin, works as an online motorcycle taxi driver who has been in this profession for almost five years. Currently, online motorcycle taxis are one of the many professions affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. His income fell by 75% compared to before the pandemic. This has an impact on family income because Qomarudin is the main source of income for the family. With the cash and voucher program through the HSBC program, Nur and her family are really helped.

“As one of the recipients of the cash and voucher program from WVI, I am very grateful because the assistance is very useful for our family. As a big family, I buy 15 kg of rice and 1 kg of eggs. This program is really helpful to support our daily needs. Because right now, my husband's income from online motorcycle taxis can only be used to buy gasoline, it's not enough to give to the family,” she said, hoping that the pandemic would end soon.

One of the other beneficiaries is Iha, the vendor for the Cash and Voucher Program in Simolawang Village. She said that the benefits felt were very many, especially during a pandemic like now.

“In addition to the beneficiaries who feel the assistance of basic materials, we as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) activists in the grocery stores around also feel it. Usually, my income is only 50%. It is a lot lower compared to the period before the pandemic. With this assistance, we can, at least, breathe (relax( a little. We hope that this program can continue,” she said.

The HSBC for Livelihood Program for Simokerto area does not stop here. In the next few months, WVI will continue to work on modality assistance and empowerment of MSMEs in the five assisted villages in Simokerto as well as provide training on the importance of microinsurance and provide microinsurance facilities to all beneficiaries of this program.

Written by HSBC for Livelihood Project Team, Wahana Visi Indonesia Simokerto Area Program