GUNUNGKIDUL —-— On the third day of #JadiManfaat, Monday (4/4/2022), various acts of kindness were carried out by Dompet Dhuafa. In Tepus, Gunungkidul Regency, thanks to donations collected from donors, Dompet Dhuafa distributed food packages to resilient families. One of the beneficiaries was Lestari (48), a woman who lives modestly in the drought-stricken area of Gunungkidul.
Living in a house that she considers sturdy, Lestari lives alone with her grandson, Akbar Sutanto (8). Every day, she can only hope for money sent by her daughter who is working in Yogyakarta. Her body is getting weaker every day, making it impossible for her to do heavy work. What she does every day is guide and educate her grandson so that he can become a successful and useful person in the future.
Lestari’s daughter, Intan Kristiowati (26), who is also Akbar’s mother, is unable to send much money. Her job as a domestic worker in Yogyakarta only allows her to send Rp200,000 for Lestari and Akbar’s living expenses for one month. What makes the three of them cry is when Akbar needs additional school supplies.
“We just make do. When there’s no money, we go to the garden to look for green leaves or cassava to eat,” Lestari said softly.
Sadly, this situation began about five years ago when Akbar’s father left home and never returned. Even now, Akbar has never known who his father is. The person who has been both a father and mother to Akbar is his grandmother, Lestari.
“I have been taking care of Akbar since he was in early childhood education until now, in the second grade of elementary school. His mother is in Yogyakarta working as a domestic helper. If not for that, we wouldn’t have money for our daily needs,” continued Lestari.
To the Dompet Dhuafa team, Akbar admitted that he likes religious studies. It turns out that this is in line with his big dream of becoming a preacher. One of his teachers, Mr. Sadari, agreed with this. According to Mr. Sadari, Akbar is a diligent student in class, especially during religious studies. In addition, he has good behavior and is liked by other teachers.
Akbar’s good character is further strengthened by his grandmother. His grandmother said that Akbar often helps her with household chores. The most common task Akbar does is helping his grandmother wash dishes. (Dompet Dhuafa / Muthohar)