ACEH —-— Bahruna stood silently on the ruins of the former SDN 14 Juli school building in Bireuen Regency. His gaze was vacant, as if he were still searching for the building that had once been the heartbeat of the school. Almost three months had passed since the landslide occurred, but the memory of that day was still fresh in his mind.
In the past, the meunasah was not just a place of worship. It was where teachers, students, and parents gathered, discussed, studied together outside of class, performed congregational prayers, and celebrated important days. The space was a center of togetherness. It was a place where the simple hopes and dreams of the students of SDN 14 Juli grew. Now, everything is gone. All that remains are chunks of debris, most of which have been swept away by the river.
The school was located about a hundred meters from the river. No one expected the usually calm river to become so violent. The water mercilessly eroded the banks, causing the river to widen by more than a hundred meters. The abrasion washed away part of the school building, the prayer room, three classrooms, and the toilets. It was as if nature was reclaiming the space that had been occupied by humans.
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The disaster occurred in the afternoon, just before sunset. Bahruna remembers clearly when he heard the news. Someone told him, “SDN 14 Juli has been washed away by the river.” Those words made his chest tighten. In his heart, he could only say, “Innalillahi.” He rushed to the school. When he arrived, all his fears became reality.
Not only was the school building gone, but six houses were also swept away by the erosion. Four of them belonged to students of SDN 14 Juli. The children who had previously come to school cheerfully now had to face fear.
“The children and parents are still traumatized by the condition of the school,” Bahruna told Dompet Dhuafa on Saturday (02/14/2026).
He understands this anxiety very well. However, as the principal, he also has hope. His hope is that in the new school year, his students will be able to return to studying in a safer and more suitable place.
Amidst these limitations, a glimmer of hope emerged. Through the Disaster Management Center (DMC), Dompet Dhuafa was there to assist the affected residents and schools. Aid was distributed in stages, ranging from teaching aids and school cleaning equipment to the construction of emergency schools to ensure that the teaching and learning process could continue.
Not only that, through the Education Emergency Response Team (RDP) Great Edunesia, Dompet Dhuafa presents the Sekolah Ceria (Happy School) program. In a simple emergency room, the laughter of children is slowly heard again. The facilitators invite students to learn while playing, restoring the spirit that had been lost due to the abrasion.
During these activities, the children also received school kits containing stationery. For some people, this may seem like a simple thing. However, for the students of SDN 14 Juli, these gifts are a sign that they are not alone. There are still many people who care about their future.
Ahmad Lukman, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Manager at DMC, said that Dompet Dhuafa’s presence is a manifestation of the concern of donors who want to ensure that education continues, regardless of the circumstances.
“The donors hope that teachers and students will remain enthusiastic about learning. We are here to assist and bridge that concern with the needs of the survivors,” he said. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photos: Riza Muthohar
Editor: Dhika