The Brave Priyanka

Journalist : Khusnul Khotimah, Photographer : Khusnul Khotimah

Aifen and Joni Yu visited Priyanka's residence in Cipondoh Tangerang on Saturday, 8 June 2024.

Priyanka (26), who has received Tzu Chi’s assistance for the last four years, humbly asked the volunteers to stop providing her assistance. She has shown her bravery, even though she has to undergo dialysis twice a week due to kidney failure. Priyanka always uplifts her spirits to feel more independent.

"I have started working, I have income, there are still many people out there who need help more than I do," Priyanka said.

Since December 2020, Tzu Chi Indonesia through the He Qi Tangerang community had provided Priyanka with medical financial assistance that BPJS did not provide.

Priyanka has suffered from kidney failure since she was 18 years old. Initially, for the first four to five years, Priyanka had carried out medical therapy. However, after the long term medical therapy there was no further improvement on her health, and she was required to do hemodialysis instead.

Currently, Priyanka is working as a store assistant, not far from her rented house in Cipondoh Tangerang. She works from 12 noon to 10 in the evening. Luckily, the shop owner is very understanding of Priyanka's health condition. If she needs to go to the hospital, she may come later to the shop at 7 in the evening, and if she does not feel well she is permitted not to come to work.

Since January 2023, Priyanka’s mom has passed away due to an accident, and she has been living with her brother. After that, due to Priyanka’s condition of having no income, Tzu Chi had provided Priyanka with transportation and medical financial assistance starting from March 2023.

Priyanka did not forget to give back by pouring the money she had donated in her bamboo piggy bank so that it could be used to help other people.

The volunteers at He Qi Tangerang are certainly very happy when a Gan En Hu’s (a long-term Tzu Chi aid recipient) life has improved and become independent. However, with various considerations, especially Priyanka's lifelong dialysis, the volunteer team of the Charity Mission in He Qi Tangerang decided to continue providing assistance to Priyanka.

"We still provide assistance to Priyanka as a form of attention," said Aifen, a Tzu Chi volunteer who visited her on Saturday, June 8, 2024. Aifen came with her husband, Joni Yu, who is a Tzu Chi volunteer too.

With these considerations in mind, Priyanka also understands. "Thank You to Tzu Chi and the volunteers because they have helped me a lot and have cared about me. " Priyanka said.

“Coincidentally, Priyanka was born in 1998, which is the same age as Shigu's child, so Shigu can relate and feel love for Priyanka '' Aifen added.

Priyanka has stated that her health has been improving. However, she was still very sad about the recent passing of her mother, who had always been by her side. Luckily, Priyanka has a very kind sister that took good care of her.

"I haven't been able to do anything for my mother, so as long as I'm still alive, I want to do good deeds on behalf of my late mother." said Priyanka.

Translator: Widosari (Tzu Chi Volunteers), Editor: Olivia Tan (Tzu Chi Volunteers)