Transforming a slum into a well-organized housing area is visually satisfying, but in practice, it is a complex and time-consuming task. Achieving this requires collaboration among various stakeholders. This occurred in Tanjung Kait, Indonesia, located 50 km west of Jakarta. In that impoverished fishermen's settlement, more than 100 families reside without legal ownership. Therefore, the initial challenge is to resolve legal issues, as residents have lived on the land for three generations without legal rights. The effort to upgrade housing and settlements is supported by various national and local governments, donors, NGOs, researchers, and financial institutions. These diverse actors complicate the project due to their varying interests, priorities, approaches, and budget schedules. Consequently, this results in delays due to misaligned objectives and timelines.
To cultivate an environment conducive to collaboration, it is essential for the community to demonstrate unity. Accordingly, the community should be empowered to participate in the planning of housing types, safe environments, and public infrastructure deemed suitable by them. The plan incorporates a participatory approach (PASSA) to identify potential future risks from hazards and to designate safe zones for construction. The PASSA process systematically ensures that all historical risks and hazards are thoroughly documented. Families who have experienced multiple hazard events are invited to propose safe zones for residence. Subsequently, the local government benefits from PASSA by transforming these proposals into a comprehensive site plan for housing and associated public infrastructure.
As seen in the video, houses have been fully constructed, and residents are now happily settled in the newly developed community. This achievement was made possible through the support of multi-level government agencies and donors who collaborated with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia in the construction of 110 houses. The success of this project was underpinned by robust project management and coordination, which stemmed from a comprehensive understanding of the context, mutually agreed-upon milestones, and a shared sense of responsibility.
Therefore, we are grateful to our donors for their generous support for funding this development; they are Prudential Indonesia (Prudential Indonesia (PT Prudential Life Assurance), PT Lautan Luas Tbk, Selavip Foundation, Global Fund Mission (GMF) Habitat for Humanity International, and Turner & Townsend. Also, we are thankful for the generous in-kind support for construction and building materials from PT Solusi Bangun Indonesia Tbk, BMI Group Indonesia (PT MONIER), PT Avia Avian Tbk. (Avian Brands), PT Primagraha Keramindo (Arwana Ceramics), PT. Surya TOTO Indonesia Tbk, and PT APLUS PACIFIC
Arwin Soelaksono
Habitat for Humanity Indonesia
