PU Grobogan

Grobogan District

Area: 1,976 sq. km
Population: 1,394,000 (2008)
Administration:  19 sub-districts, 280 villages
Sponsored children:  6,415 (November, 2009)

Located in Central Java Province, Grobogan lies between two mountains, and limestone mountains and hills dominate the district. There is a pronounced dry season, and water availability is an issue. Agriculture is the main source of income.

Estimated annual income in Grobogan is Rp 2.3 million per person ($240)

Plan has been working in Grobogan for 5 years.

Program Highlights

Public Health

Plan is promoting health improvement through community participation, in partnership with local government agencies, and women’s welfare groups. The main focus is on childhood education centers.

Basic Education

Plan is working with the local education office to develop child-friendly schools. School-based management teams have been set up to monitor a program including school reconstruction, teacher training, provision of teaching materials, education exhibitions, and workshops. Plan will shortly begin a Learn Without Fear campaign, covering 4% of Grobogan schools.

Habitat

Priorities are water supply and sanitation. Plan has helped drill 175 wells and construct piping for 267 assisted villages, and the villagers were helped to form drinking water users’ associations. One assisted village has successfully  created a controlled sewage system. The government has replicated this success in non-Plan areas. At the school level Plan is helping set up  public latrines, sewage systems, and biogas technologies.

 

Livelihoods

Plan has introduced the concept of cooperative working. The cooperatives in two villages have been successful, with revolving funds of Rp.50 million. Elsewhere Plan has helped villages to develop collective irrigation systems. Organic farming has also  been a success. Plan has also provided goats for people to keep and breed.  In one case, from 20 goats distributed three years ago, the people now have 90 goats; others have reported now having 125 goats from an initial 25 goats. 

Child Protection

Plan has raised public awareness of child abuse and other children’s rights issues.  In the last two years Plan has become partners with the local Women’s Empowerment Agency to create a child-friendly district. Now, at the national level, Grobogan has been declared ‘child-friendly’.