Tzu Chi Distributes Aid for Residents of Sintang City and Melawi District

Journalist : Anand Yahya, Photographer : Anand Yahya

Tzu Chi volunteers with the Indonesian National Police and the Regional Government of Sintang City and Melawi District together carried a sack of rice onto the car to be distributed to residents affected by floods in Sintang City.

Volunteers from the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation distributed aid for flood victims in Melawi Regency and Sintang City, West Kalimantan, Wednesday 17 November 2021. The distribution of aid took place in Nanga Belimbing Village, Kec. North Pinoh, accompanied by members of the Kodim and Polres, as well as the Melawi Regency Transportation Service. Tzu Chi volunteers distributed 10,000 packages containing 10 kg of rice, 1 liter of cooking oil, and 5 packs of instant noodles, as well as 500 kg of eggs for public kitchens.

The Commander of Kodim 1205/STG, Lieutenant Colonel. Inf. Kukuh Suharwiyono, in representing the Flood Handling Task Force in Sintang City, expressed his deep gratitude to the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation for being present in the midst of the residents of Sintang City who are currently experiencing a disaster.

Tzu Chi volunteers distribute rice packages to residents of Nanga Belimbing Village in Melawi District. Road access that is still flooded makes volunteers use the river route to distribute aid.

Tzu Chi volunteers accompanied by TNI-Polri distributed aid packages for residents of Nanga Belimbing, North Pinoh.

"This is a concern that is highly expected from residents affected by floods. Today we will distribute aid with Tzu Chi volunteers using the river route in inflatable boats. Hopefully, the basic needs of the community can be met, especially basic necessities,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kukuh.

This assistance was given as a form of concern for others and a sense of humanity to slightly ease the burden of residents affected by the flood. Lieutenant Colonel Kukuh also revealed that at this time residents desperately needed tarpaulins for tents, toddler milk, baby diapers, sanitary napkins, medicines, and insect repellent.

Tzu Chi volunteers packed 10 kg packets of rice and 5 packets of instant noodles each in the 1205/STG Makodim Hall.

Sinar Mas Tzu Chi volunteers in the Sintang area also attended the distribution of flood aid in Sintang City. Sinar Mas Tzu Chi volunteers also distributed basic food packages in the target villages.

Tjiu Bun Fu, Flood Relief Coordinator in Sintang City with Tzu Chi Jakarta, Singkawang volunteers, and Tzu Chi Sinar Mas volunteers said the assistance provided by the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation was rice, cooking oil, instant noodles, and eggs.

"Today we are synergizing with the 1205/STG Kodim to distribute basic necessities to several points, such as public kitchens and settlements on the river coast which were severely affected by flooding," said Tjiu Bun Fu. "This assistance that we provide will run out in time, but the love that we give hopefully can be remembered for the residents of Sintang, and hopefully can ease the burden of our brothers who are victims of this flood disaster in Sintang," he hoped.

The atmosphere of packing rice packages is assisted by members of the TNI AD and TNI AL.

The Commander of Kodim 1205/STG, Lieutenant Colonel Inf. Kukuh Suharwiyono expressed his deep gratitude to the Buddhist Tzu Chi Indonesia Foundation for being present in the midst of the residents of Sintang City who are currently experiencing a flood disaster.

In Sintang City, some of the residents' access roads have been cut off so that they are trapped in their homes. Boats are the mainstay for residents to get out of the house to meet their needs.

The head of Nanga Belimbing Village, Wawan, thanked the Indonesian Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, which really cares for the people of Melawi. “Thank you very much, sir, for this help. Because this assistance is really needed by people affected by floods. Then because of the difficulty of water transportation, so we took it here (Nanga Pino Hospital) and later I distributed it directly there (village)," said Wawan.

Translator: Olivia Tan (Tzu Chi Volunteers)