Distribution of Vegetarian meals for the Pandemic affected community
Journalist : Anand Yahya, Photographer : Anand Yahya
Tzu Chi Volunteers distributed vegetarian meal boxes at two different locations for those residents who were badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic at Tamansari area, West Jakarta.
The Tzu Chi volunteers from the Central He Qi community donated vegetarian meal boxes to the people during the Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) Level 4. The meals were hand out to people who were affected by the covid-19 pandemic, such as parking attendants, security people, motorcycle drivers, waste pickers and the residents at Tamansari area, West Jakarta.
Sunar, 49 years of age who is one of the residents of Rt.06/07 Tamansari was very delighted to receive the meal. Sunar shows gratitude towards the kind gesture initiated by the Tzu Chi volunteers. “By God’s grace, I am very grateful towards the volunteers. I wish them great success, good health and future endeavor,” interpreted by Sunar who was filled with joy.
Tzu Chi volunteers assisted during the preparation of the vegetarian meal boxes, which consist of rice, tofu, tempeh and vegetable soup. These meal boxes were to be distributed to the residents in that area.
The vegetarian meal boxes which consist of tofu, tempeh and vegetable soup were distributed to the residents. Each day, there is a different variety of vegetarian meals.
Sunar, one of the members of the security who doesn’t receive a stable income receives the vegetarian meals. Sunar reveals that his income is dependent on the public’s courtesy. “At times, some of them would give me Rp. 20,000, or even nothing. Therefore, I am very thankful to the Tzu Chi volunteers for this kind deed”, Sunar said.
Another resident, Yati who is 53 years of age owns a food stall in that area. She is fortunate as the Tzu Chi volunteers ordered the vegetarian meals from her. She was referred by the ladies of PKK Tamansari area.
“Mrs. Ida mentioned that one of the Tzu Chi volunteers would like to place an order of vegetarian food without MSG to be distributed to the residents. Since before, I never use food flavoring MSG but instead use mushroom powder”, explained Yati.
Yati’s husband also helps during the preparing and packing of different variety of vegetarian food in the meal box.
On a daily basis, Yati sells soto noodles, shaved ice, chicken noodles, steam and boiled dumplings, as well as traditional cakes. However, during the pandemic, she is only able to sell soto noodles. “Most the times, the cooked food is left over. There have been times when only one or two bowls of soto noodles are sold on that day. Instead of the food being wasted, she distributes freely to the staff of PPSU and others who wants the meal,” said Yati.
“I am very gratified to the Tzu Chi volunteers who have given me the opportunity to prepare the vegetarian meals, especially they are simple, healthy and easy to prepare. If the content of the meals was fish or any kind of meat, it would be effortful as there is additional process of cleaning the raw fish or meat prior to the process of cooking.
Today, Yati prepares the vegetarian meals, which consist of fried tofu, fried tempeh and vegetable soup arranged in meal boxes. They were ready to be distributed to the residents who received coupons from the head of the community.
Sunar, 49 years old works as one of the security members who received the vegetarian meal box from one of the Tzu Chi volunteers.
The distribution of the vegetarian meal boxes was carried out in July, a month filled with blessing and coincidentally falls during the pandemic. This voluntary service was carried out with the socialization of safety protocols and a great encouragement for residents to practice a vegetarian lifestyle, which will avoid the occurrence of any sickness. The Tzu Chi volunteers initiated this effort to ease the burden on the residents during the Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) level 4.
Foeng Jie Tju, the coordinator and volunteer of the Central He Qi community mentioned that the volunteers worked in synergy with the community of Tamansari area. The residents of Tamansari are fortunate to get the support from the Central He Qi community. The Tzu volunteers are willing to share with the ones who are not affordable. The recipients of this distribution are the old folks, orphanages, others who are affected during the pandemic and the residents who are doing self-isolation due the infection of covid-19.
Tzu Chi volunteers distributed the vegetarian meal boxes to the residents who had coupons which were given to them a day prior by the head of the community.
The Tzu Chi volunteers worked together with the food stalls around Tamansari area, which were badly affected during the pandemic. The volunteers ordered 60 vegetarian meal boxes from RW 06 and another vegetarian meal boxes from RW 07. Due to the pandemic situation, there is none or limited sale of food as many staffs working in stores were terminated or working from home.
Educating food vendors
Aside from this, Tzu Chi volunteers also encourages the food vendors to habituate a healthy lifestyle which emphasizes mainly on preparation of vegetables. The volunteers educated the food vendors on various ways during the cooking process to elevate the food’s nutritional values and maintaining cleanliness in serving the food.
“We guided them on how to wear gloves during the preparation of food and not to touch the food after receiving money from others which is not hygienic,” explained Foeng Jie Tju.
“We ordered vegetarian meals from a food stall located nearby the point of distribution, where residents received the vegetarian meal boxes in exchange with their coupons,” explained Foeng Jie Tju, whose is mostly addressed as Cucu.
One of the Tzu Chi volunteers hands out the vegetarian meal box to an elderly person who came together with her grandchild. The residents who have acquired the coupons are able to take the vegetarian meal boxes from the food stall located nearby.
The Tzu Chi volunteers coordinated with the ladies of the PKK community at Tamansari area who gave reference for the food vendors who were able to prepare the vegetarian meal boxes. “We are not the ones who enquired regarding the food vendors, instead the ladies of the PKK community are the ones who referred us to them,” said one of the Tzu Chi volunteers.
While socializing on the importance of following the health protocols and encouragement to all residents in practicing a healthy lifestyle to get protected from any disease. As the population is densely populated at Tamansari area, there are a lot of residents who contributed their labor on a daily basis. Since the Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) level 4, most of them who works on a small scale and those who are doing freelance are badly affected.
The volunteers of Central He Qi community supports each other
During the distribution of vegetarian meal boxes, the Tzu Chi volunteers hope to foster relationship with the residents so it would create an awareness to practice eating vegetarian food which would keep them healthy.
There are elderly people and their family who have been badly affected by the covid-19 pandemic who were prioritized to receive the vegetarian meals from the Tzu Chi volunteers. The Tzu Chi volunteers develops a close relationship with the residents and enhance the awareness of implementation of a healthy eating vegetarian lifestyle.
Cucu Fong is very thankful to the Tzu Chi volunteers who were involved in the distribution of food during Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) level 4. Cucu shows gratitude on the support initiated by the head of the Central He Qi community, despite of their inability to be there during the distribution of food due to the rules of Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) level 4
They prepared the report during the execution of this event. “I am very grateful that we are able to support the Central He Qi community. This has enabled us to gain strength for my friends who volunteered in the distribution of food,” said Cucu.
The volunteers of the Central He Qi community distributed the vegetarian meal boxes since 24 August and continued till 4 September 2021.
Translator: Mely Kartono (TC School)
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