BOGOR —— A cough accompanied by shortness of breath caused Riki Cisaputra (41) to temporarily stop working. He makes his living by collecting palm fronds from oil palm trees to be processed into brooms.
“This is my oldest brother, Riki. His daily job is collecting palm fronds at Gunung Sawit. That’s when his coughing started; then suddenly he felt tightness in his chest. He was given medicine from a local shop, but it didn’t help,” Riki’s older brother explained while accompanying his brother for treatment at RST Dompet Dhuafa in Parung, Bogor, on Monday (February 23, 2026).
Seeing the symptoms Riki was exhibiting, his older brother finally took him to the community health center (Puskesmas). Once there, Riki was referred to the Pulmonology Clinic. From there, his older brother brought Riki to RST Dompet Dhuafa.
He explained that at the time, Riki was still receiving treatment through BPJS Health. However, there were some medications not covered by BPJS, so he immediately enrolled Riki as a member of LKC Dompet Dhuafa so he could get the appropriate medication for his younger brother.
“So eventually I used the LKC membership. As for the medication from LKC (that was provided), it was either Berotec or Suprasma. “Well, those were covered by the membership,” he explained.
It all started with asking questions; Riki’s older sibling managed to find out information regarding the application for LKC Dompet Dhuafa health membership. He then hurried to prepare all the necessary information and documents for the hospital to process further.
“At the time, I was here asking around, and I found out there’s a membership program here. So, for those who can’t afford medicine or can’t afford treatment. Eventually, I submitted the application to RST. At the time, I went to Mr. Budi and Mr. Heri. I handed over the data, and then they conducted a home visit to assess the situation. I waited a week, and after a week, I received a call—it turned out the application was approved,” he explained.
Read also: Wheelchair Assistance Improves the Well-being of People with Disabilities and the Elderly
After all the requirements were met, Riki finally received his LKC Dompet Dhuafa membership card. He admitted that receiving treatment as a member felt much simpler and eliminated the need to be referred to other hospitals.
“My whole family used the membership back then. Even now, my younger sibling has been using the membership for over 10 years and receives treatment here,” he said.
Before receiving medical assistance, his older brother explained that Riki had great difficulty walking long distances. He said that if forced to walk far, Riki would experience shortness of breath. However, after receiving regular medication, Riki became more productive in earning a living and was able to generate his own income.
“Every month, he gets his pills and the inhaler. So, if he’s active, he can manage. Now he can go up the mountain to collect broomsticks. He gathers palm fronds, then bundles them. And, thank God, he now earns an income from selling those broomsticks—one bundle for Rp5,000,” he explained.
For your information, Riki is one of the beneficiaries of the healthcare financing program for underprivileged patients, a charitable collaboration between PT Audy Mandiri Indonesia (Audy Dental) and LKC Dompet Dhuafa. Through the LKC Dompet Dhuafa healthcare program, Riki is now able to return to work and earn his own income.
This medical cost assistance is the result of Audy Dental’s generosity, stemming from the collection of its employees’ zakat funds, which are channeled through Dompet Dhuafa with a focus on the Health Program.
Through LKC Dompet Dhuafa, these zakat funds are distributed as part of one of LKC Dompet Dhuafa’s core pillars: advocacy. This pillar focuses on serving beneficiaries who lack health insurance, access to medications and medical supplies, and face barriers in obtaining assistive devices for patients with disabilities.
This charitable collaboration also aims to improve access to healthcare services and the quality of life for people with disabilities and underprivileged patients. This initiative also represents the distribution of zakat funds that is trustworthy, targeted, and impactful for the wider community.
Read also: Expanding Healthcare Recovery for the Underprivileged with Audy Dental
Riki’s story is truly inspiring. He didn’t give up in the face of adversity. Even though he was struggling to make ends meet at the time, he refused to let that stop him from fighting to become a true man. Let’s step up and support those who are struggling to make a living due to illness and are unable to seek treatment because of the cost. Help them here! (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photos: Moh Reynaldi Risahondua
Editor: Dhika