Katingan Mentaya Project is doing what it can to make a positive impact in the lives of a group of women tailors in Mentaya Seberang village

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected different aspects of human life, causing uncertainty for many people. Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s largest impacted countries as of April 20th 2020, with more than 6.700 cases reported thus far. As with any crisis, the responsibilities of caring for the family and making ends meet grow heavier on the shoulders of women. 

Risiati, single mother of four and a tailor from Mentaya Seberang, depends mostly on her sewing business and her eldest son’s work as a river taxi driver to get by. But it all changes when the pandemic hit Borneo, resulting in a local quarantine measure that ceases most of Mentaya Seberang’s daily activities. Risiati’s clients dwindle and the need for river transport declines drastically. Risiati and her children is also following government order for social distancing, but with minimum economic income, their future looks bleak.

Risiati’s story is one that is familiar to the women of Mentaya Seberang, most voicing the same concerns. Aware of the problem at hand, Katingan Mentaya Project initiates a program that facilitates the women tailor to produce masks, which are purchased by Katingan Mentaya Project for distribution around Mentaya Seberang and nearby villages to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.