Story by Nuraina Ponidjan| Medan, Indonesia

Time flies, and it's hard to believe it's been twenty years since Tzu Chi Medan built the SD Negri 060966-060967-060968 Belawan schools in Medan, Indonesia. The schools were in dire condition back then, with classrooms often flooded during high tide. Tzu Chi stepped in to reconstruct the campuses, and on May 6, 2004, the project was completed, allowing normal educational activities to resume.

Overcoming Flood Challenges

Previously, the school, located by the waterfront, would be knee-deep in water whenever the sea level rose. High tides would flood the school, disrupting students' learning and occasionally forcing them to leave. The salty seaside air also quickly damaged the walls and roofs, creating holes and posing a danger to the students. To address this, Tzu Chi rebuilt the school and raised the floor. Since then, water has not entered the school grounds, let alone the classrooms, allowing the children to learn comfortably.

A Heartfelt Medical Clinic for Students and Community

On June 2, 2024, a Sunday, marking 20 years of collaboration between Tzu Chi Medan and SD Negeri 060966-060967-060968, Tzu Chi Medan volunteers from the He Qi Cemara community organized a social health service. The event included dental, ENT, skin, and general treatments and was attended by 121 volunteers and 543 participants, including students, parents, teachers, and residents from the school's vicinity.

Before the clinic began, everyone sang the Indonesia Raya, the national anthem, and prayed for the event's success. Volunteers, TIMA doctors, and students from SD Negeri 060968, gave a sign language performance of the song "One Family". The students also showcased the Tor Tor Dance, a customary dance from the Batak tribe in North Sumatra, creating a warm and familial atmosphere. Afterwards, participants registered, had their weight checked, and proceeded to the various medical departments for consultations.

Promoting Hygiene Among Coastal Residents

During the clinic, Muhammad Ardiansyah Putra and his wife Aisyah brought their two-and-a-half-year-old son, M. Haikal, for a check-up. They asked Dr. Ariyanto, the pediatrician, about Haikal's sudden vision loss, which started six months ago despite no falls or fevers. Haikal, a bright child, could still identify a toy airplane by touch despite his poor eyesight.

After examining Haikal, Dr. Ariyanto asked if they had seen an eye doctor. Haikal’s father showed Dr. Ariyanto a report from a previous check up which indicated that Haikal has optic nerve damage, which could lead to total blindness. Dr. Ariyanto advised them to see an eye doctor urgently.

Dr. Ariyanto has expressed his joy for being able to help the people of Belawan City through the Tzu Chi Health Service. "I'm thrilled to be working at the general polyclinic today. Residents who live on the coast generally have skin complaints, diarrhea, and upper respiratory tract infections," stated Dr. Ariyanto. "I also advise residents to maintain personal and hand hygiene."

Enhancing Community Welfare

One of the residents, Sundari br Hutahaean, frequently suffers from headaches and dizziness. She expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you, Tzu Chi, for caring about the health of the Belawan community," Sundari said. "I am happy that I can get free treatment at Tzu Chi Health Services; I have been examined by a doctor and given medicine."

Responding to requests, TIMA healthcare professionals also visited bedridden patients who couldn’t attend the clinic. After the clinic, four volunteers and two doctors took a tricycle to visit 64-year-old Latifah, who had been bedridden for ten months following a fall. Dr. Enie found her blood pressure was high (150/90 mmHg) and Dr. Cynthia Yaputri,  a physical therapist, carefully taught her how to get out of bed and use a walker to gradually regain mobility.

Tzu Chi volunteer, Sylvia Chuwardi, was deeply moved by the dedication of the Tzu Chi Medan volunteers and the TIMA medical team. "We appreciate the dedication of the volunteers and TIMA members in providing services to the teachers, students, and residents of SD Negeri 060966-060967-060968 Belawan. Conversely, Tzu Chi is also grateful to the schools for consistently supporting Tzu Chi's endeavors and keeping the school that Tzu Chi built orderly and well-maintained. "This is one form of Tzu Chi's assistance in the Education Mission, where children are our next generation, so they must have a good place to study," stated Chuwardi. She hopes that in the future, this school can expand its mission beyond health and education to include a humanistic cultural mission and environmental protection.

Ainun Mardiah, the principal of SD Negeri 060968, expressed gratitude, saying, "Thank you to the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation for working with SD Negeri 060966-060967-060968 for 20 years. Today, we all received health services, and we are committed to maintaining and caring for our school. We must also thank Tzu Chi for rebuilding this school because, as you may recall, in the past, high tides caused school closures due to water entering the classrooms."

The success of this medical clinic was due to the excellent coordination and preparation among volunteers. Lily Hermanto, the Health Social Service Coordinator at Tzu Chi, started preparing equipment for the volunteers and medical team the day before the event. She was pleased to provide medical services to the community, especially benefiting the students and staff of the state elementary school in Belawan.

"We are holding health services here because we see a deficiency of health facilities in Belawan, and because SD Negri 060966-060967-060968 has a good relationship with Tzu Chi for 20 years. Lily Hermanto stated, "Maintaining the health of children, families, and teachers is the goal."

May this two-decade-long relationship continue, and may the students enjoy happy learning, grow up healthy, and become valuable contributors to society.