Page last updated at 09:38 GMT, Friday, 3 June 2011 10:38 UK



Advertisement

Low yielding harvests in recent years means Sula needs to work in Jakarta and send money home

Sular is a drinks seller in Jakarta. He comes from a village in Central Java and has lived in the Indonesian capital for the past 20 years. Like so many Indonesians he came to Jakarta to try to support his family.

Whatever the weather he gets up every day at 5.30am and works until 10pm selling drinks on the streets of the city.

He rarely sees his family for extended periods of time - perhaps once a month or every other month. He says he misses them, but doesn't have a choice as he has to make a living.

He works in order to send money home to the village, but it's difficult to make a steady income.

Sometimes he can make up to five dollars a day - not much he says, just enough to eat.

When asked why he doesn't choose to stay in the village and work so he can be close to his family, Sular points out that back home he can only farm and grow rice.

Harvests have yielded less than they used to in recent years because of the heavy rains.

There's enough to eat, but not enough to pay for taxes and other expenses, which is why he works in Jakarta.



Print Sponsor


FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS
Has China's housing bubble burst?
How the world's oldest clove tree defied an empire
Why Royal Ballet principal Sergei Polunin quit

bbc.co.uk navigation

BBC © 2013 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.

Americas Africa Europe Middle East South Asia Asia Pacific