Jakarta. Indonesia’s government has begun shifting its approach to tackling extreme poverty from reliance on social assistance to the creation of decent and sustainable jobs, launching a pilot program aimed at integrating the poorest households into productive work.

The initiative, called Miskin Ekstrem Pasti Kerja (The Extremely Poor Must Have Jobs), is being rolled out by the Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment. It was officially launched on Monday with a pilot kick-off at a Nutrition Service Unit Kitchen (SPPG) in Badang village, Jombang regency, East Java.

Through the SPPG ecosystem, residents classified as poor and extremely poor are directed to take part directly in income-generating activities, particularly those linked to public food and nutrition services.

Deputy for Social Welfare Coordination Nunung Nuryartono, speaking on behalf of the coordinating minister, said social assistance alone cannot be the sole solution to extreme poverty.

“People must be given understanding and skills. They cannot be left dependent on social assistance,” Nunung said. “Your presence here reflects the capacity and determination to move away from dependency.”

In its initial phase, the ministry aims to absorb at least 10,000 people living in extreme poverty into productive employment through the program. During the pilot stage, 300 participants have completed training and will be placed at seven SPPG facilities across Jombang.

The facilities include SPPG Banjaragung, Diwek Diwek, Diwek Puton, Ngoro Badang, Ngoro Badang 2, Jombang Tambakrejo 5 and Jombang Kepanjen. Participants are scheduled to begin work on Jan. 5, 2026, taking on roles such as portioning meals for the government’s free nutritious meals program, cleaning food containers and supporting daily kitchen operations.

Jombang was selected as the pilot location due to what officials described as a well-prepared empowerment ecosystem, including effective collaboration among local stakeholders.

As SPPG workers, participants are expected to earn about Rp 2 million ($125) per month, significantly above Indonesia’s national extreme poverty line of around Rp 580,000 per capita per month. The government hopes steady income will improve household economic stability while boosting long-term productivity.

Local government data show extreme poverty in Jombang stands at about 0.4 percent of the population, or roughly 5,100 people. The coordinating ministry said it is optimistic the figure can be reduced further by expanding the SPPG model, which is designed to create local economic chains involving farmers, traders, small businesses and kitchen workers.

“We want to show that hope for prosperity still exists, and that extreme poverty can be ended,” Nunung said.

Nationally, the SPPG ecosystem is projected to absorb up to 1.5 million workers over 2025–2026. With more than 25,000 SPPG facilities planned or operating across the country, the program is being positioned as a key instrument in Indonesia’s drive to eradicate extreme poverty.

The ministry plans to replicate the Miskin Ekstrem Pasti Kerja program in other regions by strengthening coordination with local governments, line ministries, private-sector partners and community groups.CMi

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