An Invitation to Share from Saving a Handful of Rice

Journalist : Metta Wulandari, Photographer : Metta Wulandari

Manner class students who live in the Tzu Chi Great Love Village Muara Angke, North Jakarta pour their rice savings at the first face-to-face class meeting, Sunday, November 14, 2021.

After getting familiar with the bamboo banks, now the Tzu Chi volunteers of the North He Qi 1 community introduce the manner class students who live in the Tzu Chi Great Love Village Muara Angke with a rice bank. Through the Spirit of a Handful of Rice Spreading Love, which started about a month ago, then on Sunday, November 14, 2021, volunteers and students poured their rice bank for the first time.

This rice bank program invites manner students to set aside a handful of rice from their homes every time before cooking. The collected rice is then put together with one another and will be distributed to those in need. The students and their parents were very enthusiastic because it turns out that sharing can be started from anywhere. It doesn't have to be with money, but it can also be with things that have never occurred to them before.

Inspired by the Story of a Myanmar Tzu Chi Volunteer

Over the course of a month, the invitation to save a handful of rice also spread to all Tzu Chi volunteers in the North He Qi 1 community, including the students of Tzu Chi School. They managed to accumulate almost 200 kg of rice.

In 2008, after Cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar, Tzu Chi continued to assist survivors in rebuilding their homes and communities. In remote areas, Tzu Chi also helps children to go to school, and provides rice seeds to farmers.

Tzu Chi volunteers also shared stories that Tzu Chi began with 30 housewives who each saved put 50 cents NT into a bamboo coin banks each day and have now been able to aid in various countries. Locals were amazed to hear that by putting 50 cents into a bamboo coin bank each day, everyone can help others.

Volunteers distributed bamboo coin banks to residents and each disaster victim was very touched and began to put money into the bamboo bank. However, there are some people who cannot afford to put aside coins. Therefore, they decided to save rice to help others by setting aside a handful of rice before they cook every day, for people in need. This is the origin of the rice bank.

Start Saving Rice

Sahwal Ardiansyah (left) and other manner class students as well as Tzu Chi School students and He Qi Utara 1 volunteers participated in the Spirit of a Handful of Rice Spreading Love.

It was from this story that Streisand, Tzu Chi volunteers and Da Ai Mama explained where the rice bank program for the manner class students started. This was reinforced by realizing that the economic situation of the parents of the students was in a slump due to the pandemic.

"Well, it so happened that our manner class was hampered by the pandemic, so inevitably the class was made online. Then there was one child who couldn't come, after we found out, it turned out that he had to help his parents work on holidays, his job was peeling shells,” said Nancy, Streisand's nickname.

“His mother said that his father lost his (principal) job, so the son helped his parents. Then it turned out that there were several other children whose parents also lost their jobs due to the pandemic. From that incident came the idea that we want to carry out this program, “she continued.

Sahwal Ardiansyah menunjukkan celengan berasnya. Dia sangat antusias, terlebih ibunya selalu mengingatkannya untuk berbagi kepada sesama. Sahwal Ardiansyah showed his rice bank. He was very enthusiastic, moreover his mother always reminded him to share with others.

Over the course of a month, the invitation to save a handful of rice also spread to all Tzu Chi volunteers in the North He Qi 1 community, including the students of Tzu Chi School. Unexpectedly, on the last day of rice collection in this first period, they managed to accumulate almost 200 kg of rice. A result that was very unimaginable at first. From this result, the rice was then distributed to 14 elderly people who live alone who live in the Tzu Chi Great Love Village Muara Angke, as well as to 14 families of students in the manner class.

“The main thing is to teach sharing to students and tell them that apart from parents, there are us (Tzu Chi volunteers) who can also help each other,” said Nancy, “on the other hand, we also invite them to pay more attention to the people around us because the proceeds from the rice bank are distributed again to the elderly in need, who live alone around them.”

Willingness to Help Others

From the results of the rice bank saving for a month, the rice was then distributed to 14 elderly people who live alone in Tzu Chi Great Love Village Muara Angke, as well as to 14 families of students in the manner class.

The success of the rice bank collection activity could not be separated from the enthusiasm of the manner class students. A student named Sahwal Ardiansyah was the first student to send a photo of himself saving a handful of rice for volunteers. This 5th grade elementary school student admitted that he was very enthusiastic and wanted to share. From the photo that Sahwal sent, the volunteers were very motivated.

"After that class, mom likes to remind me, 'don't forget to save the rice in the rice bank,'" said Sahwal, imitating his mother's words. "I'm very happy because I can share," added the second child of three siblings.

Saanit, seorang Lansia yang menerima beras hari itu sangat senang dan bersukacita. Ia berterima kasih karena menerima perhatian dari relawan dan anak-anak kelas budi pekerti. Saanit, an elderly who received rice that day was very happy and rejoiced. She was grateful for receiving the attention of volunteers and manner class children.

Rusmini, Sahwal's mother, has always liked to do social activities, so Sahwal was educated to like to share and to be active in taking classes with Tzu Chi. "So, when Zoom (manner class) invite to save rice, I also reminded Sahwal and he immediately started saving after the class," said Rusmini.

Rusmini feels happy to be able to invite and teach her children to be useful people for others. “Yes, although we are also mediocre, we also want to educate our children to share even a little. Because we look difficult but in fact there are still more difficult. Thus we have to looking down too so we can be more grateful,” said the mother of three.

Volunteers took a group photo after the activity was completed.

From the determination and good intentions of the students and volunteers, Saanit, an elderly person who received rice that day was very happy and rejoiced. She said that her rice supply was already depleted, so the rice from the manner students was able to refill the barrels at her house. The 60-year-old grandmother is also grateful to be able to live in an environment full of warmth and care, where children can be educated with good manners.

"Hopefully all of them will become pious children, can be devoted to their parents, Allah and His Messenger, and be useful for religion, homeland and nation. Let's be successful, smart, and clever anyway," said Saanit, pinning a prayer for the students in the manner class.

Translator: Indah Melati (Tzu Chi Volunteers)