After Surviving the Tsunami in Aceh, Victoria Is now Heading to Hualien

Not only is she a bright student, she is also actively involved in community services.

It is still fresh in our memory, the earthquake and tsunami which turned the Porch of Mecca upside down on 26 December 2004. The undersea magnitude 9.1 - 9.3 earthquake shook the southwest coast of Sumatera.  Instantly, Aceh was turned into a wreck, with thousands of people missing and thousands buried in a mass.

Right after the earthquake and tsunami in 2004, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation contributed in the rehabilitation and constructions of Aceh. Helps came from all around the globe.

 Victoria, who was five years old and lived in Peunayong Banda Aceh, survived from the tsunami by climbing to the second floor of Dharma Bakti temple. The kid, together with her family, moved to Medan three days after the disaster. Victoria went to Methodist Kindergarten in Medan. Not long after, in March 2005 the family brought Victoria back to Aceh and finished her study in SMAN 3 Banda Aceh in 2017.

In the 12 years’ time she spent in school, Victoria did not seem to be affected or traumatized by the tsunami. With plenty of achievements she got at school, she never got complacent in her study. Her effort and hard work awarded her the first place of 2016 Science Olympiad in computers for SMA/MA (high school) in Banda Aceh. She was one of the representatives of Aceh to compete in 2016 National Science Olympiad in computers.

Victoria is active in Sakyamuni Buddhist Temple and often helps community services, including being the vested volunteer in Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation. She was involved in recycling activities in Lampuuk Beach, rice distribution in Tzu Chi housing complex in Panterik-Banda Aceh, cataract surgeries in Kesdam Hospital, medical check-up in Tzu Chi Neuhun Housing Complex. Victoria joined the Tzu Chi Bazaar at the Tzu Chi Center in 2016, helping as one of the stand keepers.

Victoria (middle), in one of the health services held by Tzu Chi.

Victoria started to love Chinese language when she entered high school. Due to limited number of Chinese language teachers in Aceh, Victoria was asked to be a Sunday School teacher in Sakyamuni Buddhist Temple to teach Chinese language for Primary School. In her free time, she helped to train the temple art & music team play keyboard in performances. She also volunteered in the praying services. She never spent her time not doing something useful to the people around her.

This relationship has brought Victoria to have affinity with Tzu Chi once again. Knowing that Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation offers university scholarship in Taiwan, Victoria decided to enrolled herself, sat for the test, and interview in December in Pantai Indah Kapuk, Jakarta.

“Anxious and worried, I waited for the results and I prayed that everything went well for me,” said Victoria.

Joining the bazaar in Tzu Chi Center, Pantai Indah Kapuk Jakarta in 2016 has enriched her with valuable experience.

 In April, the result were released through email from Jakarta and her name was there. With gratitude and joy, Victoria became more enthusiastic living her life. After the national exam she took at school, she applied for a job.

 “I am really grateful I got a job though it was only for few months. It is enough for my pocket money,” said Victoria.

 When she received her first salary, she did not forget to treat the Chinese teacher who taught her. Now, in a matter of days, Victoria is ready to fly to Hualien-Taiwan to start her higher education. She survived the tsunami in Aceh and is now heading to Taiwan to reach her dreams.

Translated by Ryan P Wijaya (Tzu Chi School)

Editor: Caroline Widjanarko (Tzu Chi School)