It Brings Happiness to Share with Others in Hard Times

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

Employees of Himas Coffee and Eatery and Cirebon Geprek distributed takjil to motorists who passed on Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Cirebon City, West Java, Friday (23/4/2021).

The Covid-19 pandemic has slowed business activities down. Despite the unfavorable situation, many businesspeople do not want to miss the opportunity of sharing with the poor. Sharing with others when the situation is difficult brings happines.

Gunawan, a three-year-old boy, stopped walking when he saw the distribution of free takjil (breaking-of-the-fast snacks) on Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Cirebon municipality, West Java, on Friday evening (23/4/2021). He quickly ate the pudding and porridge in the cart, which is also where he sleeps.

Gunawan was accompanied by his parents and grandfather, Surip (46). They carried two wheelbarrows. Plastics, used bottles, clothes, and tarpaulins have piled up on the cart, which is less than 150 centimeters long. There, they broke their fast.

Also read: Political Image of Social Assistance

This is the first time Gunawan and his family enjoy free takjil during the 11 days of Ramadan. Usually, they only receive a box of rice and side dishes to break their fast.

"If there is money, we buy takjil. If there is no money, then we just eat rice,” said Surip.

Earning rupiah from scavenging is no longer as easy as it was before the Covid-19 pandemic. In the past, he was able to pocket 25 kilograms of used goods valued at Rp 90,000 per day. "Now, sometimes it\'s only Rp 30,000. At most Rp 50,000," said Surip.

They are among the residents who receive about 100 portions of takjil that the cafe provides.

That is also why, the free takjil from Himas Coffee and Eatery and Cirebon Geprek can at least help the Surip family conserve expenses. They are among the residents who receive about 100 portions of takjil that the cafe provides.

"This is just a minor and normal thing. We want to reduce the burden on others in the midst of difficult conditions,” said Sucipto Chandra (65), a cafe owner, a citizen of Chinese descent.

KOMPAS/ABDULLAH FIKRI ASHRI

Surip, a scavenger, shows free takjil from Himas Coffee and Eatery and Cirebon Geprek on Jalan Sisingamangaraja, Cirebon City, West Java, Friday (23/4/2021).

Since October 2020, Himas Coffee and Eatery has been serving free breakfast to those who are less fortunate every Friday in the second and fourth weeks. There are 100 free packages of Ayam Geprek for each charity. People are required to exchange coupons and comply with health protocols.

The choice of distributing free food is arguably "crazy". How come, after only a month of operating, the Chandra cafe faced hard time with rare customers. Conditions are getting more difficult in April 2020 when large-scale social restrictions are imposed. Turnover fell by 90 percent.

Even before the pandemic, the former Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Confucian Religion Council in Cirebon often held breaking the fast gathering with his employees at his hardware store. He also often receives ketupat (rice in coconut leaf) and opor (chicken stew) from his neighbors who celebrate Eid.

An observer of Cirebon Chinese culture, Jeremy Huang, said that what Chandra had done was nothing but a portrait of the good relations between the Chinese community and the Muslims in Cirebon municipality. Since the 14th century, the relationship between the two is close because Cirebon has become an important port for China.

Orphans

The movement to care for the poor was also carried out in Malang, East Java. Even though the Covid-19 pandemic has brought the sound system service business to silence, the business players have not given up looking for ways to share. They took to the streets to perform for the sake of the orphans.

In fact, one of the singers often performs in the regional head election campaign event in Malang.

Tuesday (27/4), at the Tajinan intersection, Malang, those who are members of the Malang Sound Community (MSC) are enthusiastic about handing out donation boxes to road users. In fact, one of the singers often performs in the regional head election campaign event in Malang.

Based on MSC\'s previous experience, in a day they can raise up to Rp 1.9 million. This activity lasted until Sunday (2/5). "The goal is to find donations for orphans in this area. So that, during Lebaran, they will also have enough money for Eid like the others," said Pudya Surana (56), head of the fundraising activity committee in Tajinan.

KOMPAS/DAHLIA IRAWATI

Malang Sound Community (MSC) raised donations from road users in T Kerajinan, Malang Regency, East Java, to donate to orphans, on Tuesday (27/04/2021).

Pudya said that the fundraising is a routine activity by MSC every year during the month of Ramadan, with the aim of collecting donations for the orphans. MSC is simultaneously holding donations at five points in Greater Malang.

Pudya said, during the pandemic, all MSC members lost their source of income. Although since the pandemic the sound system business has practically stopped, but not with their humanity. The call to help the orphans cannot be restrained.

Still in Malang, a group of generous people also routinely share with others, starting from sharing packaged rice, dates, stationery, Al-Quran and all other products needed by others. One of them is a member of the Indonesian Food Sharing community (FSI), who has been conducting social activities for almost a year. The founders of the community are Shella Sabillah Alamri (29) and Dian Ayu Antika (29).

The FSI community accepts donations from the general public and distributes them to those in need. Routine activities are carried out every Friday. Within a week, FSI Malang is able to distribute 120 packs of food.

For this pandemic, they also distribute food to residents who are independently isolated twice a day.

"The FSI community has also grown to Pamekasan, Madura. There, FSI Pamekasan can distribute up to 500 packs a week. For this pandemic, they also distribute food to residents who are independently isolated twice a day,” said Dian Ayu Antika.

For these social activists, difficult situations will not stop them from sharing with the poor. The feeling of happiness is doubled if you can still help others in difficult situations.

(This article was translated by Kurniawan Siswoko).