Village Funds for Health Programs, Clear Evidence of Village Government Commitment
March 19, 2025
Village Cares for Remote Hamlet
March 20, 2025Departing from Concerns, Generating Empowered Communities
The community is an important element and a strong foundation in HIV and AIDS control programmes. Starting from the community's dream to become a legal organisation, to gaining the trust and support of stakeholders, Pita Merah Jogja Association has been actively conducting a series of HIV and AIDS control activities in the city of Yogyakarta. The work is so visible, that Pita Merah Jogja is increasingly existent. Many HIV care partners have involved them in their programmes. These activities and collaborations with various parties have greatly contributed to the strengthening of the organisation and the issues they work on.
Peduli, Inklusi, solidariTAs, MERAih Harapan or abbreviated as Pita Merah was born as a community on 1 April 2021 at Toen Watiman Restaurant with members of PLHIV, people living with PLHIV and HIV and AIDS activists. Starting from meetings held by CD Bethesda YAKKUM, it gave rise to a commitment to organise themselves to form a community of HIV and AIDS care. This commitment also arises from their concern to see the phenomenon of HIV and AIDS cases in the city of Yogyakarta.
Initial Meeting of the Pita Merah Establishment
The lack of knowledge of HIV and AIDS in the community, the low awareness of at-risk groups to get tested for HIV, the high incidence of stigma and discrimination against PLHIV and the high incidence of PLHIV dropping out of ARV treatment made them concerned and began to dream of a better situation. The vision of Pita Merah is that the people in Yogyakarta are aware of HIV and AIDS, that there is no stigma and discrimination against PLHIV, and that PLHIV are empowered. While its missions are: 1. Education about HIV and AIDS to the community regularly and continuously; 2. Empowerment of PLHIV physically, mentally, socially and economically; and 3. Establishment of cooperation with relevant stakeholders.
Mobilising Commitment to Grow the Pita Merah Jogja
Through intensive assistance by CD Bethesda YAKKUM, Pita Merah Jogja was able to formulate activity planning and implementation of activities, including regular meetings of the board and members, organisational strengthening, strengthening the capacity of members through education and training, HIV and AIDS education in the community, education through social media, policy advocacy, as well as outreach and assistance to PLHIV who have dropped out of ARVs. Supporting every regular meeting is done to build coordination patterns and program development. In addition, there are knowledge updates carried out for administrators and members so that they do not miss issues.
Capacity Building Activity on "Gender Based Violence among Women with HIV" Organised by Pita Merah with Funding from ICWAP
Regular Meetings Conducted by the Pita Merah Jogja at the Secretariat Office
In commemoration of Human Rights Day, Pita Merah received funding from the International Community of Women Living With HIV in Asia Pacific (ICWAP) Feminist School to organise a capacity-building activity on Gender-based Violence against Women with HIV. This activity was conducted on 17 December 2022 at Ingkung Grobog Restaurant. The participants of this activity were members of Pita Merah, representatives of transgender women, female sex workers, AIDS Care Community, and NGOs concerned with HIV and AIDS.
Despite being born in 2021, their enthusiasm never died, they continued to make efforts for approximately 8 months to process the legality of the organisation. They understand how this must continue to be done to strengthen the organisation which will later contribute positively to the issue of HIV and AIDS. All efforts range from funds towards the legality of the organisation, which they do by collecting through voluntary contributions and deductions if someone becomes a resource person. In addition, the source of funds collected also comes from managing the remaining funds from the events they hold. The spirit to have the legality of the organisation continues to surge, because without legality, many activity proposals are rejected.
Their efforts were not in vain, with the help of Notary Hitaprana, the community finally obtained organisational legality. Written in the Decree of the Minister of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia, number AHU-0005842.AH.01.07.TAHUN 2023 concerning the Ratification of the Establishment of the Jogja Pita Merah Jogja Association, dated 18 July 2023. The composition of the board is as follows: Eva Dewa Masyita as Coordinator, Nindya Baggaswara as Secretary 1, Liza Juniawati as Secretary 2, Rony Sanjaya as Treasurer 1, Alvonsus Gita Mahendra Lumunon as Treasurer 2, Rachmono Hadi Susilo as Education Section 1, Dwi Lestari as Education Section 2, Budhi Kusprayogi as Public Relations and Publications 1, John Erbit Misara as Public Relations and Publications 2 and Panduarti Prissabat as Supervisor.
The process of signing the Deed of Independence as an Association of Pita Merah Jogja
Deed of Establishment of Pita Merah as an Association
After gaining legality as an association, Pita Merah Jogja then held hearings at the Yogyakarta City Health Office, KPA DIY, PKBI Yogyakarta, CD Bethesda YAKKUM, and other institutions. The purpose of the hearings was to introduce the association and its programmes to build cooperation and support.
The organisers and members of Pita Merah have also spread their wings by joining network activities both internationally and nationally, as well as in provincial and district/city networks. At the international level, Eva Dewa Masyita joined the ICWAP Board. In the national network, Eva Dewa Masyita and Liza Juniawati joined the Indonesian Positive Women's Association (IPPI). Rachmono Hadi Susilo joined the Equals Network. At the provincial level, Rachmono Hadi Susilo joined the HIV and AIDS Advocacy Network (JAVA DIY). At the city level, Yogyakarta Pita Merah joined the Forum for Community-Based Integrated HIV and AIDS Control (FORBAS). Their activeness has led to more experience and has brought Pita Merah to life.
Pita Merah Jogja Holds an Audience at the Secretariat of the Yogyakarta Municipality AIDS Commission
Pita Merah received funding from JAVA DIY to organise socialisation of TLE to TLD ARV Regimen Transition for PLHIV. The activity was held on 23 May 2022 and invited Moh. Abied (HIV Counsellor at dr. Sardjito Hospital) as a resource person. Pita Merah is also often involved in advocacy activities for the Yogyakarta City Council to provide input on the obstacles experienced by PLHIV, both in terms of services, logistics and HIV and AIDS policies and budgeting in Yogyakarta City.
In various activities carried out by JAVA DIY, Pita Merah Jogja is always invited as a participant to provide input related to social security, health insurance, service flow and referral systems, stigma and discrimination against PLHIV in the workplace and integration of services for handling violence against women with HIV issues. In addition, Pita Merah is active in assisting World AIDS Day commemoration events with HIV and AIDS care networks.
Pita Merah Jogja together with JAVA DIY and KPA DIY were also involved in a workshop on case chronology and reporting flow. This activity hopes that Pita Merah Jogja can become a reporter if there are cases of discrimination and human rights violations that occur among transwomen, sex workers and PLHIV themselves. The collected cases can be followed up and become material for joint advocacy can be documented neatly and can become policy input from the analysed case data.
YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) is one of the work units of the Christian Foundation for Public Health (YAKKUM) with the main mandate to carry out disaster emergency response and community preparedness disaster initiatives. YEU is currently running the Community Led Innovation Partnership (CLIP) project which is based on community leadership and includes the Inclusion Action Innovation Ideas (IDEAKSI) program. On 2 June 2023, YEU sought new partners to submit proposals for inclusive innovation based on community leadership in disaster management. One of the communities they invited was Pita Merah. During the meeting, there was socialisation about the IDEAKSI program and offers of cooperation and joint discussions to find interesting and inclusive innovation ideas in disaster risk reduction.
Pita Merah and CD Bethesda YAKKUM sat together to design a proposal to develop the idea of an application for PLHIV. This application is designed to help PLHIV who are often late in taking medication, not updated with information, lack of self-acceptance and even limited access to information for PLHIV with low vision. In addition, in the event of a disaster, PLHIV themselves do not know what they will do if for example, the availability of medicine runs low, especially if the health service building collapses. They need to get accurate information about the availability of ARVs. To answer these challenges, an innovation idea was born, namely the MONTOV Application, which means MONitoring of health for PLHIV.
Pita Merah Jogja discussing the proposal for the IDEAKSI YEU programme
Pita Merah Jogja became one of the speakers at the Demoday and Symposium to present the "MONTOV" application
Pita Merah Jogja together with Marfu'ah Designs "MONTOV" Programme
Montov Application Used as Health Monitoring and Accommodates Disaster Mitigation
Award Certificate given by YEU to Pita Merah Jogja as One of the Innovators of IDEAKSI Program
A few months later, a letter announcing the selection of several local innovators, one of which was Pita Merah Jogja for the creation of the "MONTOV" Application. Previously, there was an application to remind Marfu'ah to take medicine. The application was made by Marfu'ah for her final exam. Then Pita Merah invited cooperation based on the application and developed it well to accommodate the needs of PLHIV.
Pita Merah Jogja was allowed to participate in presenting the "MONTOV" application in the Demo Day and IDEAKSI Symposium on 7 October 2023 at the Faculty of Psychology UGM. This activity was attended by YEU partners, Regional Apparatus Organisations (OPD) and also NGOs so that the innovations they work on are increasingly understood by many parties. YEU also offers anyone can cooperate to develop this innovation, including in terms of funding. At the end of the event, Pita Merah Jogja along with other innovator groups received certificates of appreciation for the innovation work they will carry out.
In July 2023, Pita Merah became one of a select group of motivators who created an app called "MONTOV". They received funding of around Rp 40,000,000 to manage the application until many PLHIV utilise the application. The menu in the application is very diverse according to the needs of PLHIV. On 05 January 2024, Pita Merah conducted a trial of the application by inviting PLHIV friends, transgender PLHIV and also PLHIV with disabilities. There were many positive responses and suggestions for improvement so that the application is ready for use.
On 18 January 2024, at the Grand Kangen Hotel, Pita Merah finally launched the "MONTOV" application. This application was much welcomed by the participants present at the time. Many participants from the Health service were interested in the application because it helps minimise ARV dropout cases. The DIY and Provincial Health Office welcomed it. Many media also covered the event. This is the success that has been passed, of course there are still many challenges that they must overcome in realising an empowered community.
(Panduarti Prissabat)
