Service Area

Yogyakarta Special Province

Luas	:	3.185,81 km squares
Populasi	:	3,120,500 (Pemda, 2000)
Poverty	:	627,831 (19.14%)
Life	:	72.9

Historically part of the Central Java Province, Yogyakarta is in fact its own autonomous political entity and is still governed by a Sultan. The city is known as a “mini-Indonesia” because it attracts people from various ethnic groups from throughout the entire archipelago, most of them as students interested in attend-ing one of the almost 50 universities. The presence of these newcomers, met with a fast-paced flow of information and globalization (and its hedonist culture coun-terpart), has produced a dynamic lifestyle and a problem with drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, and STDs. For example, the Local HIV/AIDS Prevention Commission stated that as of 2005 they had found 187 HIV/AIDS cases, mostly amongst stu-dents.

Based on statistical data in 2003, 36.16% of citizens in Yogyakarta were unem-ployed. Due to this figure, it is not surprising to find that 20% of people live un-der the poverty line. Pressure needs to be put on the local government to solve unemployment related problems in the form of advocacy.

Before the May 26, 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake, clean water scarcity in areas of Gunung Kidul and Bantul regency were huge obstacles towards development. Ideally, each person needs 50 – 110 litres/capita/day for their livelihood but the communities in Gunung Kidul and Bantul consumed only 10-15 litres per day per person. In 2004, local mass media recorded that 132,625 people lived in water starved and malaria endemic environments.

This situation drastically worsened following the May 27 earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale. The majority of damage was done in Bantul, damaging or destroying 80% of homes and killing around 2,000 people. Overall, the earth-quake killed 5,782, injured 36,299, and left about 1.5 million people homeless. Most damage was the result of housing and other infrastructure which lacked safe building standards. In addition, the 7th century Hindu temple Prambanan suffered substantial damage.

As a result of this catastrophe, about US $50 million was quickly pledged, the bulk coming from Japan, UK, Saudi Arabia, EU, US, and Australia. Other countries and organizations sent support teams and emergency supplies directly to the dis-aster site. Today, most international aid projects have been reduced or com-pleted. However, much still needs to be done. Many people are still without ade-quate sustainable shelter and access to food, transport, clean water, and sanitary living conditions still pose as huge obstacles.

Programs in Yogyakarta:

Strengthening people’s organizations
TOT training on human rights, regional autonomy, political education
Institutional Building
PHC for Urban Poor
Credit Union (CU) for Becak drivers and food stalls
Capacity building training for CU members
Alternative medicine training and treatment in health posts
HIV/AIDS Prevention and assistance for HIV/AIDS patients
Outreach health service for CSWs
Capacity building for CSW organizations
Support for TOT for HIV/AIDS Motivators
STD prevention and medication
Organic farming
Support People Organization networking within carrying out advocacy on clean water supply and health service for the poor
Earthquake disaster response program: recovery and rehabilitation

Office address:
Klitren Lor GK III/374 Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia