We heard of COVID-19 towards the end of 2019 and we were already being cautious by preparing ourselves with standard operating procedures (SOPs) like social distancing and wearing masks when serving food to those in need.

The night the Movement Control Order (MCO) was announced on 18th March 2020, we were still giving out food to the needy. We had just finished serving our last meal of the day when we were asked to close by the police. The restrictions of the MCO meant that we couldn’t do it the old way. Instead, we got permission to operate from Restoran Al Mubarak near Medan Tuanku so that the homeless and the needy could still get hot meals.

My toughest moment was persevering with our goal of being a safe haven for the underprivileged to get a meal even with the challenges presented to us amidst the pandemic. Even my exco scolded me, saying that I was being careless by risking my life. I replied – ‘What are you going to do? Are we going to just take care of ourselves and ignore the rest?’

We are an NGO and we are supposed to take care of the community. If you are confronted with a problem, you don’t walk away from it. You find ways to move forward. Fortunately there were SOPs in place to help keep us safe, and by following them stringently, I knew that my colleagues and I could still perform our duties.

What makes our work rewarding is how we are able to help the underprivileged and how they are so appreciative of things we take for granted. Sometimes, when we give out ice cream with our meals, their faces light up like children. This includes the senior citizens who are often very careful with their sugar consumption.

I’ve worked with PERTIWI for more than 53 years and I am 70 now and I hope to continue contributing for as long as I am able to.

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