Nov 17, 2017 – Another great Chairman’s Challenge project involving the Pasukan Orange residents of Asrama Lenteng Agung ended on the 28 October. Some 280 Prudential volunteer engagements took place in support of the propagation of vegetable gardens, hydroponics, and fish farming in a 3000 square metre area in South Jakarta. Working together with the sanitation department of the Jakarta Province and the team from the South Jakarta Municipal office we converted unused land into productive vegetable gardens, built hydroponic gardens and constructed sis large fish tanks in order to produce ikan lele. One fish tank is able to provide over 1000 fish after a period of six weeks and, so, with six tanks the community of 743 individuals is able to provide sufficient fish and sell surplus. The sales of fish, fruit and vegetables resulting from this urban farming initiative takes place in several newly constructed stores.
The Pasukan Orange community, members of whom work for the government sanitation department, now have an additional income through the operation of their new urban farming endeavours. They currently make a profit of around IDR500,000 every day from sales at their new toko. The cultivating prosperity initiative intends to support a marginalised community in South Jakarta by providing them with a means to create an additional income stream. This would not have been possible without the assistance of Prudential plc and the many volunteers from the Jakarta Prudential office. The significance of this endeavour as a pilot for the Jakarta Province was realised by the Mayor of South Jakarta, the Head of the Provincial Sanitation department, three former Ministers of Environment and Forestry and Mr Jens Reisch (President Director, PT Prudential Life Indonesia), all of whom visited the site on the last day of implementation.
This is an extremely sustainable initiative which provides great value to a community of disadvantaged people who have often suffered social exclusion due to their occupation of garbage removers for the city of South Jakarta. It also provides an excellent model to replicate in other areas of the province. Thanks to Prudential Indonesia this innovative urban farming project has been realised and supported by Provincial Government.