Tzu Chi Cinta Kasih Housing, the Answers of Palu People's Prayers

Tzu Chi volunteers returned to Palu to continue with the second signing of the permanent housing agreement on 14-15 March 2020. In this second signing there were 490 residents who were happy, as their new homes from Tzu Chi is come to realised.

Tears ran down the cheeks of Marlina Manopo (33) when she was picking up her the number for her future house at the Tzu Chi Tadulako Cinta Kasih Housing on Saturday 14 March 2020.  Occasionally she wiped the tears with the tip of her hijab. "Please pray first, may God choose the best one," said Sudarman Lim, a Tzu Chi volunteer who held the glass jar filled with residential number papers. After she finished praying, Marlina put her hand in the jar. Out of her hand, came a number stating the block and the number of houses she will occupy.

“I am so thankful for God for granting my prayers. I am grateful that there are still people who care about us,” said Marline, a resident at Pantoloan, Tawaeli village, Palu who was one of the victims of tsunami that hit Palu.

Marlina Manopo couldn’t contain her happy tears anymore. She was happy to finally get a house and was moved by how much Tzu Chi cared about the people of Palu.

Marlina is also thankful that her family are still alive and safe, even though her house, located 80 meters away from the coast was completely destroyed by the waves.

“It’s not that I am not accepting my destiny, I just can’t forget what happened that day. Despite my family were all survive, it still hurts to think about that day. I would like to thank Tzu Chi for helping us, for lifting the burden on our shoulders,” she said.

As usual, the Vatulemo Park in Palu is always crowded on weekends. Some people jog in the morning, done aerobics, others just sit there to chill and relax. But in the baruga (local hall) in the corner of the park was also crowded with residents carrying maps. Those are the people who are one step away from occupying the Tzu Chi Tadulako Cinta Kasih Housing. This housing was built by Tzu Chi Indonesia in collaboration with the Eka Tjipta Foundation and Indofood for residents of the victims of the earthquake, liquefaction, and tsunami in Central Sulawesi on 28 September 2018.

Ahmad Zainudin Nur, even though his face was so calm, there was a deep emotion he felt after getting his house number.

The signing for the house agreement was done for the second time with 490 residents on 14-15 March 2020. The first signing was done on 12 January 2020 with 327 residents.

No More Dangling
Meanwhile Ahmad Zainudin Nur, who is a sixth semester student at Tadulako University, looked so calm when he was about to pick his house number. With the same message, Sudarman Lim also invited Ahmad to pray first.

While closing his eyes, Ahmad also picked one number. In an instant, memories of his late father and mother filled his eyes with tears. Ahmad lost both his parents at the same time in the liquefaction that hit the Balaroa Village. The bodies of the two parents whom he loved so much couldn't even be found.

When the faction occurred, Ahmad was on his way home from campus on a motorcycle. When he was nearing the house complex, suddenly the land in Balaroa housing seemed to be moving and shifting. He wasn’t able to enter the compound to save his parents. Usually during those hours, Ahmad's parents would rush to the mosque for the sunset prayer congregation.

"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Hopefully you will find the house to be comfortable and useful, "said Felix Juwono, a volunteer from the North He Qi Community 1 to Palu residents who had signed the agreement.

"The neighbor saw them, they said, that my father was the first to drown followed by my mother. Sank into the ground and covered with them," Ahmad said. Ahmad was at the very least grateful for the neighbors who became eyewitnesses, so that he was not overcome by curiosity.

As a fact, Ahmad's house is far from the mosque. Because of this faction, the mosque's land was pushed towards his house on Jalan Melati Raya, making the distance between the house and the mosque close together.

On the second day after the disaster occurred, Ahmad’s house was left with debris. He was even still able to scavenge valuables belonging to his parents including land certificates which he then took care of to be able to get help from Tzu Chi. Ahmad also can still take cash and gold from his parents. Before the disaster happened, his parents owned a cracker factory near the house. Harum Manis Crackers Business, the name of the cracker factory with eight employees.

Joe Riadi mingled with residents who were filled with happiness because soon they will get a comfortable residence.

Ahmad's old house is now a mound of land and swamps. To commemorate the departure of his parents, Ahmad put a gravestone on it and often came there by reciting prayers and bringing flowers.

Now Ahmad lives alone in a boarding house owned by his best friend's parents.

"He said just stay here together so that you don't have to pay," said the sixth semester student majoring in agriculture. Meanwhile, Ahmad's three older siblings are now living outside Palu following follow their husbands.

With all the patience and prayers that Ahmad always prayed for, his wish of having his own place to stay is now in sight.

"Thank God, I finally got this house, which has been waiting for all this time. I am very happy with the existence of this housing can help me, it can be said I am swinging around, dangling for food too, as a kosan (boarding house) child, "he said.

Volunteers who helped the success of this event were given a briefing by Andre Zulman about the flow procedures as well as to always provide the best service to residents.

"Since the incident happened it has always been on my mind, that I am all alone, my parents are gone, my sisters have joined their husbands. And I don't have much experience, I haven't worked, don't know who to follow, "he added.

When he lives his house, Ahmad plans to start to rebuild the cracker business as his father had pioneered.

Within the flow of signing this agreement, there was one thing that caught Ahmad’s attention, the comfortable atmosphere created by volunteers. Even though there were many residents who came, the atmosphere was very conducive and calm. People can interact with each other here.

"In my opinion, Tzu Chi is very good. The volunteers work with totality. I was even given snacks. The way they serve us is very good, organized, neat, there is no crowding too, I really salute you, "he said.

All the volunteer teams in charge always wear face masks and maintain hand hygiene with hand sanitizers or hand rubs to be more comfortable in carrying out the task this time.

But in fact such conducive and comfortable atmosphere is not only done by the volunteers in these stages. Inside the Tzu Chi Tadulako Cinta Kasih Housing of which construction will soon be completed, Tzu Chi also ensures the feasibility and comfort of the building in many aspects, such as water, electricity, doors, and home furnishings.

"During the handover later even residents will not just be given a house key, but they will be given a list for them to check, whether the lights are on or not. Whether the water in the bathroom running smoothly or not. Whether there are cracks in the ceramic floor, and whether the door lock is functioning properly or not, "said Joe Riyadi, Tzu Chi volunteer who coordinated the signing of this permanent housing agreement.

"These people have been living in the shelter for more than a year, as Pak Aguan (Sugianto Kusuma, Deputy Chair of Tzu Chi Indonesia) said, we are providing them with beds and tables are nothing since they have been living uncomfortably for more than a year in the shelter," continued Joe Riyadi.

Translated by: Chrestella Budyanto (Tzu Chi School)