ACEH —-— That night, Juliana (26) was still able to breathe a sigh of relief. The water hadn’t yet entered her home in Gampong Kubu, Peusangan District, Bireuen. Along with other residents, she thought their village was safe. The flood would just pass by, like the old stories that often ended before the flood actually arrived.
However, morning erased all that confidence. The water came slowly, cold, and inescapable. Starting at the ankles, rising to the knees, then the mud followed. People flocked to seek refuge at Meunasah Kubu, the only place that still offered a sense of safety. Juliana’s house was not spared. Mud as high as an adult’s waist crept in, covering the floor, the walls, burying belongings and the remnants of hope she had managed to hold onto.
At the time, Juliana was heavily pregnant—eight months along. She could not move much. At the meunasah, she mostly sat quietly, holding her three-year-old child. Meanwhile, her husband paced back and forth, seeking news, seeking help, seeking anything that could save his family from the uncertainty.
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Not a single house was spared. Helmi, Secretary of Kubu Village, stated that 782 people from 239 households were affected by the flooding. Everyone was displaced. The mud spread everywhere, indiscriminately.
“The mud inside the houses is just as deep as outside,” he said.
“Where can we dump it? If it rains, it’ll just come back in,” he added.
It took three long weeks. Only then did the residents dare to return, slowly clearing the mud, cleaning room by room, until the houses could be reoccupied.
Amid this situation, Juliana had to think about one other thing that couldn’t wait: her delivery. She had gone for a check-up with a midwife in the neighboring village, which was also affected but remained open for service. When the time to give birth arrived, Juliana was taken to a midwife closer to home. Thankfully, she was still able to give birth in a delivery room, not in the evacuation center.
Juliana has now returned home. The walls, which had been covered in mud, were cleaned by her husband with the help of neighbors. The house is once again inhabited, though it has not yet fully recovered. Her baby is only one month old. There are still many needs. She herself is still recovering.
Given this situation, on Friday (February 13, 2026), Dompet Dhuafa distributed baby care kits to mothers affected by the floods in Aceh. Juliana was one of the recipients. A simple gesture, but hopefully meaningful enough to make them feel they are not alone.
Fadel Aldimas, Digital Partnership Manager at Dompet Dhuafa, explained that the aid was a donation from partners who entrusted their contributions to support flood-affected communities in Aceh. A gesture of compassion that has now taken the form of a small glimmer of hope amidst the remnants of mud.
For Juliana, the days ahead will still be difficult. But now, in the home she has returned to, with her baby sleeping in her arms, she has the conviction that life can still be rebuilt, even though it was once submerged up to her waist. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photos: Riza Muthohar
Editor: Dhika