President Prabowo Subianto is dedicated to improving the lives of the underprivileged by implementing various flagship programs that not only address immediate needs but also pave the way for future generations to break the cycle of poverty. According to Deputy Minister of Social Affairs Agus Jabo Priyono, initiatives such as Sekolah Rakyat, Kopdes Merah Putih, and MBG are instrumental in restoring dignity to those living in poverty and preventing the intergenerational transfer of economic struggles. The Sekolah Rakyat program, in particular, aims to disrupt the cycle where children born into poverty are likely to inherit their parents’ financial difficulties, highlighting the importance of education in breaking this pattern. President Prabowo’s administration has set ambitious targets to eradicate extreme poverty by 2026 and reduce the national poverty rate to below 5 percent by 2029, utilizing a combination of social interventions and community empowerment programs to achieve these goals.
Adita Irawati, a Senior Expert at the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), emphasized the administration’s three-pronged strategy to combat poverty, which includes the People’s School initiative, the Red-and-White Village Cooperatives, and Free Health Checks in Schools. The health-focused CKG program has already reached 10 million Indonesians and aims to expand to 50 million by the end of the year, with a specific focus on schoolgirls from elementary through high school. The Red-and-White Village Cooperatives are designed to stimulate local economies, create new job opportunities, and empower rural and urban communities towards self-sufficiency. The upcoming launch of the Kopdes Merah Putih program on July 21, with a target of establishing 80,000 cooperatives nationwide, further demonstrates President Prabowo’s commitment to empowering communities and breaking the cycle of poverty. These initiatives offer a model of village empowerment, enabling communities to address their own needs and generate sustainable livelihoods through their own resources, emphasizing the importance of self-reliance and community strength in combating poverty.
