Sumenep Regent Fauzi Wongsojudo Championing Welfare Through Electric Rickshaw Initiative

SUMENEP, Maduraexpose.com– Dozens of traditional rickshaw drivers in Sumenep Regency are experiencing a direct impact from the attention of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. This week, the 8th President of the Republic of Indonesia extended a significant helping hand by providing electric rickshaws to the local community.

“We are proud of the President’s concern for the rickshaw drivers, manifested through this electric rickshaw assistance,” stated Sumenep Regent Achmad Fauzi Wongsojudo during the handover ceremony at the Pendopo Agung Keraton on Monday, July 14, 2025. His remarks underscored the strong sense of appreciation felt at the local level for the national initiative.

Boosting Livelihoods: A Transformative Initiative
The provision of 25 electric rickshaws is anticipated to significantly boost the income of the drivers. Previously, a traditional rickshaw might only serve two to four passengers per day. With the advent of these electric vehicles, the capacity is expected to increase dramatically, potentially accommodating up to ten passengers daily.

“Currently, the aid recipients are aged 60 and are all residents of Sumenep Regency. Therefore, this assistance is expected to be highly beneficial in improving their economic welfare,” the Regent explained, highlighting the targeted nature of the support for vulnerable, elderly workers.

Regent Fauzi expressed his hope for the President to continue this electric rickshaw assistance program, noting that Sumenep Regency alone has 614 registered rickshaw drivers. “Evidently, this electric rickshaw assistance will have a broader impact on community welfare within the traditional transportation sector,” he affirmed, emphasizing the potential for widespread positive change.

The electric rickshaw aid was symbolically handed over by Regent Achmad Fauzi Wongsojudo, accompanied by representatives from the National Solidarity Movement Foundation (GSN) and the Acceleration and Synchronization Team for Poverty Alleviation (Taskin).

A Collaborative Effort for Poverty Alleviation
At the same event, Novia Ayu Endah Budiarsi, an Expert Staff member from the Agency for the Acceleration of Poverty Alleviation (BP Taskin), clarified that the rickshaw aid is a collaborative outcome between the central government and the National Solidarity Movement Foundation (GSN).

“Sumenep Regency received electric rickshaw assistance because it was identified as having significant potential for rapid progress in poverty alleviation programs,” she detailed, explaining the strategic decision behind Sumenep’s selection.

Across East Java Province, a total of 100 electric rickshaw units have been distributed. “We also delivered assistance to three other regencies in Madura—Pamekasan, Sampang, and Bangkalan—with each receiving 25 rickshaws,” she added, outlining the broader scope of the initiative.

Yudhi Samhana, from the Central Management of the GSN Foundation, stated that his organization is actively working to meet the needs of all rickshaw drivers in Sumenep Regency who have not yet received assistance. “Nationally, the number of electric rickshaws delivered has reached 706 units,” he revealed, indicating the scale of the ongoing effort.

The GSN Foundation has entrusted the supervision of the electric rickshaws, including their utilization and maintenance aspects, to local governments. “We hope the recipients will use the electric rickshaws as intended—as a means of work to improve their well-being,” he concluded, reinforcing the program’s objective of sustainable economic empowerment.[*]