Cinta Kasih Packages for People Affected by Covid-19 in Medan

The cue and the flapping flags signified the release of the Babinsa troops distributing groceries from Tzu Chi Medan and KodamI/Bukit Barisan to the residents' homes.

The Covid-19 outbreak has not only affected people’s health and lifestyle, but also affected the community’s economic condition. Many people find it difficult to fulfill their basic needs. To show our concern and care, Tzu Chi Medan distributed 10,000 food packages consisting of 5 kilograms of rice, 1 box of instant noodles, and reusable cotton face mask made by Tzu Chi Medan volunteers. This aid was set to be distributed to the community with the help of TNI from Kodam (Military Command)  I/Bukit Barisan.

Preparation for Distribution
For the first stage of distribution, around 2,500 Cinta Kasih packages were sent to Kodam I/Bukit Barisan on Monday, 27 April 2020. Tzu Chi volunteers with TNI personnels worked together to pack each item, namely the rice, instant noodles, and reusable face mask into boxes to ease the distribution.

Head of Tzu Chi Foundation in North Sumatra, Mujianto (right) symbolically handed over 2,500 groceries packages to Pangdam (Military Commander) I/Bukit Barisan, Maj. Gen. TNI MS Fadhilah (left).

The groceries packages was handed over directly by Mujianto as the Head of the North Sumatra Tzu Chi Foundation to Major General of the TNI Mohamad Sabrar Fadhilah as the Military Commander of the Kodam I/Bukit Barisan Military Region I Commander in the Honorary Court of Makodam I/ Bukit Barisan in Jalan Gatot Subroto, Medan. "This is not a small scale disaster, where all levels of society feel the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak. I wish for these basic food assistance to be distributed to the community and reach out to remote areas, we are working with the TNI. Hopefully this food aid can relieve our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate or who are currently not working due to the impact of Covid-19, "said Mujianto.

Similar sentiment was expressed by Military Commander I Bukit Barisan Maj. Gen. TNI Mohamad Sabar Fadhilah, “Thank you Tzu Chi Buddhist Foundation Indonesia for extending their hands and commitment to work with Kodam I/Bukit Barisan in giving basic food assistance to the community. This is not the first time for Tzu Chi to help us, we’ve been helped many times, and we’ve been always working together hand in hand to help people in need,” said Major General TNI Mohamad Sabar Fadhilah.

Volunteers with TNI Distributed Food Packages to the Community

On Tuesday, 28 April 2020, Military Commander I/Bukit Barisan Major General TNI Mohamad Sabar Fadhilah then lead a release ceremony for 35 Babinsa personnels to go and distribute the food packages, wherein Head of Tzu Chi Medan, Su Pun Wui with other volunteers.

Maj. Gen. TNI Mohamad Sabar Fadhilah also emphasized one thing to his personnels when distributing the packages, for them to provide educational information to the community, “For each Babinsa and Koramil personnel to inform people to take care of their self-hygiene, stay at home, and in case of leaving the house for urgent needs to put on face mask,” said Maj. Gen. TNI Mohamad Sabar Fadhilah.

Budi Ridwan, Babinsa Koramil-01/MB KODIM 0201/BS distributing food packages to Hasanah. 

At exactly 10:00 o’clock, Babinsa troops who brought the food packages were set to leave with 3 Tzu Chi Medan volunteers with motorcycles and 2 trucks bringing the 2,500 food packages to be distributed directly to people affected by Covid-19.

Aster Kasdam I / BB Kol. Infantry Parluhutan Marpaung S.I.P as the coordinator of the distribution of basic food assistance from the TNI said that the target recipients of the food packages were residents who had not been given any assistance, because many organizations distributed aid but were not for all.

"Many people who live far away didn't receive help, so we took notes on which family deserve to be given assistance first, especially those who live in remote areas that cannot be reached by vehicles, that's why this time our personnel use two-wheeled vehicles so we can reach up to small alleys,” explained Kol. Parluhutan Infantry Marpaung S.I.P.

Tzu Chi Medan volunteer Timmy Jawira handed the rice to the people in the community. He was touched by some people who straight up in tears when receiving the basic food assistance.

Timmy Jawira, Tzu Chi Medan volunteer who joined the basic food distribution witnessed the happy faces of people when receiving the Cinta Kasih food packages from Tzu Chi. “The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all levels of society, some people cried when we gave them the aid. I felt very touched, I wish for the pandemic to end soon,” said Timmy.

Hasnah, a vegetable seller, was at the front of the house when she was given the basic food package. She went in tears and felt very touched. “Thank you Tzu Chi and Kodam who gave us this basic food package, I am very happy to receive this help since my vegetables haven’t been sold as much now,” said Hasnah.

Aside from distributing the basic food packages, Idrus Farchan, Babinsa Koramil-01/MB KODIM 0201/BS provided educational information to the community about the importance of using masks.

Budi Ridwan and Idrus Farchan, Babinsa Koramil-01/MB KODIM 0201/BS were touched when seeing the faces of the people who received the assistance. “Seeing those faces who receive the aid, we empathize and are very touched. This has encouraged us to continue working hard in distributing the aid so that it can reach people who need them the most,” said Budi Ridwan. “The ability to distribute aid to people made me feel happy and also touched, my ache and the heat from the sun was worth it,” added Idrus Farchan.  

We are hoping this aid could lift the people’s burden, and this outbreak can soon be overcome and people can go back living a peaceful, safe, life. We hope by working hand in hand together will strengthen our comradeship in stopping the spread of Covid-19.

Translated by Chrestella Budyanto (Tzu Chi School)