Our Wishes Came True, Cinta Kasih Tzu Chi Tondo Housing

About 160 Palu residents were affected by earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction in September 2018, and have received help from Tzu Chi.

Monday, 18 May 2020, Tzu Chi Cinta Kasih Tondo Palu Housing. The sun was shining but wasn’t as scorching. Yusuf (40), a recipient of Tzu Chi housing enthusiastically cleaned his house in Block P. He then arranged his stuff in every corner of the house with his wife and two children. After Eid, they will move in to the house. While cleaning his new house, Yusuf recalled what happened on 28 September 2018.

“I am feeling all the emotions in this new house, so touched. I have so many grateful messages to say. After waiting for two years, at last, me and my children can have a home,” he said.

Before Palu was hit by the earthquake, tsunami, and liquefaction on 28 September 2018, Yusuf and his family lived in Perumnas Balaroa. He lived there for twenty seven years, it was an easy and comfortable life. Yusuf and his wife open a shop in the market. They go to the market everyday at dawn and go home in the afternoon.

Yusuf and his wife were very touched, two years of patience living in the huntara (temporary multifamily homes), he was finally able to live in a comfortable house.

"It's just that, when the incident happened, my wife and I were late home, there was no inkling of anything before, my two children were at home too, waiting for us to be home. Exactly at 18:02 WITA before the call to prayer echoed, the earthquake came, shaking the markets, leaving the market in a devastating state, I was very scared that day, " he recalled.

A few minutes after the earthquake went down, Yusuf and his wife went straight to find their children. Fortunately, their children managed to save themselves, and Yusuf found them at the end of the intersection.

“It turned out our house was affected by the liquefaction, the ground swallowed our house and we could save nothing but ourselves,” he added.

When Yusuf, his wife, and children were still there, there were a few aftershocks with smaller scale. The whole family fled to seek a safer place.

“That traumatic experience is still clear in my memory, if only my children didn’t run away, they might have become one of the casualties, I don’t know how I would feel,” said Yusuf.

After the incident, Yusuf and his family lived in Huntara Balaroa, it was located higher up than his old house so he could see the debris all the old houses that used to stand on Perumnas Balaroa.

The inside of Tzu Chi Cinta Kasih Tondo Housing house.

Staying in a refuge for two years is not easy. The temperature is really hot because the shelter was built on arid land. Waterways that run on and off also make people feel uncomfortable. Especially after the disaster, Yusuf became a jobless man for a long while before being able to sell things again he does now. Since then, Yusuf was hopeful to receive Tzu Chi’s help, to continue and get on with life.

“After two years, I finally found a bright light. Tzu Chi came to take our data for housing recipients and I was one of the lucky ones to receive this,” he added. Tears welled up in his eyes.

“Even though the distance is a bit far from where I used to live, it’s not a problem. The most important is me and my family can live safely and comfortably,” he said.

Everyone must be happy for the housing given by Tzu Chi, since when they open the doors, they don’t only receive a house but also bunk beds for children, a complete bed set for the parents, and dining tables and chairs in the living room.

“The facility in this house is more than enough for our new house,” said Yusuf happily.

No More Worries

Nurhayati who is very happy to live in her new house.

Happiness was also felt by Nurhayati (33), a native Kaili in Palu, who was also affected by the liquefaction in Balaroa. Nurhayati is a housewife while her husband teaches in one of the primary schools in Palu. They have three young kids, two in primary, one is only 3 years old. Before the incident, their lives were good, but the incident took away everything they had.

“Thank God we were all saved, as well as the other families even though we have to lose our things,” said Nurhayati.

Nurhayati and her family had been living in huntara for two years.

“We are never worried about food, there is always help from volunteers and our neighbours. And then, long after, God made my wish come true. Tzu Chi helped me with a new house,” she said.

The facade of Tzu Chi Cinta Kasih Housing that is ready to be accomodated.

Moreover, said Nurhayati, this housing location is close to the school where her husband teaches.

"After that incident, my husband stopped working for several months so we had no income. Thank God, our income and life have started to improve, especially since we have been given assistance with this house. We are happy we don't have to live in a shelter anymore," Nurhayati said.

There are many supporting facilities provided by Tzu Chi in this residence. Not just a bed, a dining table, but electricity in every house and also water.

"Thank you, Tzu Chi, for caring for us who really need a helping hand. May God always repay your kind services who incessantly carve happiness for people like us, I also hope that someday my children can become volunteers like you for the sake of humanity's benevolence, "Nurhayati said.

Let’s Take Care of this Residence

Electricity tokens are installed in every house.

That evening, the golden dusk seemed increasingly stunning. The time was 17:59 WITA. In the next two minutes the evening prayer will mark the hour to break fast. During the communal breaking fast, gratitude and thanks to the Tzu Chi Foundation was expressed by the Mayor of Palu, Drs. Hidayat M.Sc. Tzu Chi has built 1,500 permanent residences for the residents of Palu City.

"This used to be a forest, and I never thought there will be a foundation that would provide housing assistance like this. With great enthusiasm, I moved all the large equipment and told all my teams to work together to ease the land ownership so it could be a land for built," said the mayor of Palu.

Not to mention, Hidayat added, he used to think the land here was very arid. Then how do they make the roads to be good and his team, the Palu City Government, does not have much funds to level the land.

Gratefulness and thankfulness were expressed by the Mayor of Palu, Drs Hidayat M. Si to Tzu Chi for building 1,500 permanent residences for his people.

“But Tzu Chi helped level the road. Not only level them, but make a proper road with asphalt. I was so surprised yet so happy. Let’s take care of this housing together, creating a green place by planting some trees and keeping its cleanliness,” Hidayat added.

Gratitude didn’t only come from the mayor of Palu. Invited guests from Central Sulawesi Kaili Youth Front (FPK) Central Sulawesi, Bobi Nurhidayat also said that what Tzu Chi did for Palu residents was very inspiring.

"Helping others is an exemplary example for all of us who are still young at heart, we shall even make more contributions. I have hope in the future that this housing complex can be filled with markets, children's playgrounds and facilities that support the residents' comfort here. But for now, thank you to all, I hope all of this kindness will be a provision in the hereafter for all who help," said Bobi.

Translator: Chrestella Budyanto (Tzu Chi School)