APSO Keerom provides assistance to residents affected by COVID-19

APSO Keerom provides assistance to residents affected by COVID-19

The Keerom Regency Food and Drug Traders Association in Papua provided food packages and masks to more than one hundred people affected by COVID-19 in Yunain Village, Arso II Keerom, Saturday (18/4).

"Assistance provided in the form of sugar, cooking oil, instant noodles, rice, salt, coffee and others," said Chairman of the Keerom Regency's Food and Drug Traders Association (APSO), Saiful Akmal, accompanied by the Chairperson of Papua Province APSO, Marthinus Hutabarat.

The distribution was given to motorcycle taxi drivers, poor people and victims of the fire that occurred in Arso some time ago. They were forced to be unable to carry out their usual activities due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The impact of COVID-19 not only made the economy of the community weaker, but also had an impact on income. So we combined traders in Keerom today to unite to help the Arso people who suffer from basic needs, we as traders are not just looking for profit, "Akmal explained to Elshinta Contributor, Aman Hasibuan.

According to him, the Keerom community really felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, after the central government and the local government appealed to the community to carry out self-quarantine in their respective homes to avoid transmission of COVID-19.

As a result, many people who are professionals as motorcycle taxi drivers and daily workers who experience a reduction in income do not even get any income at all. This condition aroused the conscience of Keerom and Papua groceries and drug trade associations to help ease the burden on the community.

Akmal appealed to the Keerom community not to panic with the availability of food supplies at the traders and the issue of the price of goods in the local area.

"Basic food supplies are still stable, and prices have not soared. There are indeed prices of goods going up like sugar before the spread of the corona virus has gone up, "he said.

Meanwhile one resident named, Darsono expressed his gratitude to APSO Keerom, who already cared for us who were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the help of APSO, this has greatly helped the needs of the people in Arso.

"At this time we are starting to struggle with groceries, because our income has decreased. We hope there will be help from others other than Apso to ease our burden, "he said.