Complaint Center and the Secretariat of Mekar Constituent Group in Kendari is Officially Inaugurated

On 24 May 2016, Secretary of Sodohoa Village, Asman, officially inagurated the Complaint Center and Mekar Constituent Group (KK) Secretariat in Sodohoa Village, West Kendari District, Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. KK Mekar was formed by RPS (Rumpun Perempuan Sultra) Kendari in collaboration with BaKTI Makassar, which is supported by the MAMPU Program (Empowering Indonesian Women for Poverty Reduction).

The inaguration was also attended by the RPS Director, Babinkatimbas Sodohoa, and also RPS staff, KK Mekar board and members.

Originally, the center and secretariat was a family bedroom of Ermawati, one of KK Mekar’s members. Knowing the importance of the center and KK secretariat, Ermawati then asked the board to move the center and KK secretariat, which was originally located in the living room of Muawiah, KK Secretary, to her house.

KK Mekar was formed in March 2015 by the Decree of Sodohoa Village Chief. Most of the board and KK’s members are women who also serves as Chairman of RT (Neighborhood), such as: Muawiya (Chairman of RT 03 RW 02), Alfasana (Chairman of RT 13 RW 05) , Jumiati (Chairman of RT 15 RW 06), Israwati (Chairman of RT 19 RW 05), Hadriani (Chairman of RT 11 RW 04), and Rahel (Chairman of RT 16 RW 06).

KK Mekar has an advantage for having boards and members who are part of village officials at the neighborhood level. It helps them to do advocacy activities. Some successful advocacies are maintenance of the Family Hope Program (PKH) for poor families and Scholarship for Poor Students (BSM), identifying the poor families to receive Raskin (Rice for Poor people), VIA test, and marriage.

Another achievement was when they successfully helped a mother and her baby who cannot afford their hospital fee in Kendari, by processing administrative letter such as poor people certification from village and also social security card to the mother.

According to the Head of KK Mekar, Sugianti B, the existence of KK is very useful because it can helps the poor and women to get their rights. During this time, there are many problems solved and handled with KK’s help.

Reported by: Ulfa Sari Way and M. Ghufran H. Kordi K.