One Day At A Time

Global poverty is a serious issue. According to the United Nations Development Programme, nearly half of the world’s population, more than 3 billion people, live on less than $2.50 a day. The Indonesia Statistics Central Agency (BPS) records the number of poor in Indonesia as about 28.51 million people, many gathered in Jakarta.

I visited a shantytown by train tracks in central Jakarta, Indonesia in June 2019. The dwellers mostly come from other rural areas of Indonesia, leaving hometowns for Jakarta and hoping to get a job and find some means of living for their families. As they can’t afford rent, this shantytown became their warm shelter.

Most of the houses here are built with recycled wood panels. With very limited space, each family lives in a “petak” (space) about 1.3m x 3m; they have no proper furnishing, no air conditioning, and all share a kitchen and toilet; residents face high risks and noise as this location has the heaviest train traffic from day to night in Jakarta, and their houses are just a few feet from the tracks.

I spent a few days here to talk to the dwellers. We never know what’s happening behind their closed doors; they are poor people suffering from illness and exposed to high risks, noise, and a dirty environment with insufficient water; some of them have no job, and many children lack proper education. Although they have little, they are not crying and shouting; they live one day at a time; they smile and live as best they can, even though they have little.

For them, every day is new. The lesson I learned from them is to live one day at a time. We never know what will happen tomorrow. No matter how rich and how happy we are, one day we may face difficulties. All the challenges will come to anyone, and everyone will face hard times, so we should be thankful, living happily today and living life to the fullest.

*This series of photos has won :

i) Black & White Magazine Portfolio Contest 2020 - Excellent Award

ii) Dodho Magazine Black & White Best Photographer of The year 2019 - Finalist