CWS News

Kesetiakawanan Sosial Nasional (KSN) or National Social Solidarity day is commemorated annually on December 20. It aims to honor the social workers who have responded to many different social problems following Indonesian Independence. In addition, it also aims to preserve and strengthen solidarity and to focus on the work of social workers.

In line with KSN commemoration, the Ministry of Social Affairs held an exposition displaying the work of social workers in Indonesia, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), on September 30 to October 3, 2010 at Jakarta Convention Center.

More than 300 social agencies, NGOs, private sector and community based organizations participated in the Expo, which had over ten thousand visitors. The Vice President of Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Budiono opened the event.

As a partner of the Ministry for over 40 years and as an organization aiming to help the most vulnerable people in Indonesia, Church World Service took part in this prominent event.

Children are listening to CWS' volunteer who's telling them story. CWS held a story telling session on the fourth day of the expo. Story telling is one of the method used in psychosocial support CWS provides in emergency response.
(Ilmi Suminar/ CWS Indonesia)

CWS displayed pictures of its recent works in Aceh, Nias, West Timor, West Sumatra, Yogyakarta and Jakarta. CWS shared information, education and communication materials such as posters, brochures, leaflets, booklets and manuals that explained each program we have implemented. CWS provided an early childhood education center replica for young visitors under six years old in the booth. There, children can read books, play and learn about numbers, colors, and shapes.

“Through this event we want to introduce CWS to a wider audience and to share information to the visitors about the programs that we have been implementing as well as information on disaster risk reduction, psychosocial, HIV/AIDS, health and nutrition and water, hygiene and sanitation,” said Hindra Sulaksono, CWS Program Manager Jakarta.

“Thank you for the early childhood development guidance. I have a three-year old son. Women in my neighborhood and I are developing an early childhood development center back home. So it’ll be very useful for me,” said Ratna Juita, a visitor from Bengkulu and a mother of two, accompanying her daughter playing in the early child education center replica CWS provided in the booth. She also thanked for the earthquake poster. “Bengkulu is prone to earthquakes. We are always afraid if that happens,” added Ratna.