TANGERANG — In a corner of a modern Islamic boarding school area in Tangerang Regency, a simple two-story building stands strong, providing shelter for those who no longer have anyone and nothing. From the outside, the building looks quiet. On the wall is written Panti Wreda and Panti Asuhan Khusnul Khotimah.
In addition to sheltering the elderly, this orphanage also shelters orphans and the poor. There are dozens of elderly residents here. All of them are women aged 60 years and over. Yes, the Husnul Khotimah Elderly Home is not just a place for the elderly to live, but also a place to share stories and memories.
That afternoon, a different atmosphere was felt at the orphanage. The grandmothers’ faces looked brighter and smiles greeted the arrival of the team from Dompet Dhuafa and PT Hoka Karya Mandiri. Dompet Dhuafa in Ramadan 1446 H continues to do good through its strategic partners, one of which is Clean Plus Tissue.
This visit is part of the Sharing the Blessings of Ramadan: Shopping While Sharing with Clean Plus Tissue program on March 1-7, 2025. Through this program, Clean Plus Tissue customers can shop while sharing, because 100% of all sales on e-commerce channels (Shopee, Tokopedia, TikTok, and Lazada) during the period will be donated to the elderly. Donations will be distributed in the form of nutrition packages, worship tools, groceries, and iftar packages, to bring happiness and support to them.
Elismawati as Staff and Coordinator of the Khusnul Khotimah Retirement Home warmly welcomed the visit of Dompet Dhuafa and Clean Plus Tissue. Eli also shared the happiness felt by the residents when they were visited.
“Alhamdulillah, the visit from Clean Plus Tissue and Dompet Dhuafa gave us a special feeling of happiness and enlightenment. Alhamdulillah, the grandmothers were happy and very happy to see us. The grandmothers looked very cheerful, especially when invited to chat. It was such a pleasure to visit them,” said Eli.
Grandma Istiqomah enthusiastically participated in the event, even joining the mini games provided by Dompet Dhuafa during the Berbagi Berkah Ramadhan event on Thursday (3/20/2025) at the Khusnul Khotimah Retirement Home.
Khusnul Khotimah Retirement Home takes care of those who truly have no family. Some come on their own, and some are sent by the Tangerang Regency Social Service. Most of them are poor people who have nothing and will live here until the end of their lives.
Through the collaboration of Dompet Dhuafa and Clean Plus Tissue, it is hoped that they can bring happiness to the elderly at the Khusnul Khotimah retirement home. This was conveyed by Widodo as Deputy Chairman of Ramadhan 1446 H Dompet Dhuafa.
“With the help we provide, we hope to bring a smile to the faces of the elderly here, and of course we would like to thank Clean Plus Tissue for collaborating with Dompet Dhuafa. We hope that in the future the collaboration will grow even closer and bring ever greater benefits,” said Widodo.
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The Ramadan Blessing Sharing Program is attractively packaged. In addition to the delivery of assistance to the residents of the orphanage, this activity is also packed with laughter and warmth, through games and tausiah (Islamic lectures) before breaking the fast.
A grandmother smiles enthusiastically. Istiqomah (67), who is familiarly called Nek Iis, tells the story of her eventful life journey. “I’ve been here for seven months. I used to work and then fell, my head was swollen, I didn’t have any money to pay for rent, I didn’t even have anything to eat. I asked the neighborhood headman there for help to be taken to the shelter. Alhamdulillah, there was a place for me,” said Grandma IIs.
Her life changed since entering the shelter. Nek Iis can interact with other residents, has a proper shelter and is provided with food and drink. Now, even though she is old, she still tries to help.
“I really like it here, it’s comfortable, there are friends to joke with, if I can I want to help as much as I can, I’m here and I can’t do anything but help, if it’s cleaning I don’t clean, if there’s anything just call Nenek IIs, in the kitchen sometimes I ask for help cutting vegetables, peeling onions, as hard as I can,” she explained further.
However, bitter memories are still etched in her memory. She seems to remember very well how a disaster took her family away. The disaster occurred in Porong District, Sidoarjo Regency in 2006.
“All of grandmother’s children and husband were killed. Grandmother finally returned to Jakarta but had nowhere to go in Jakarta, so she was alone. I sometimes cry alone inside. It feels like this,” murmured Nek Iis.
However, that day, Thursday (3/20/2025), a smile was etched on her face. She looked at the nutritional packages and prayer tools that she gratefully received.
“Alhamdulillah, we got some takjil (a kind of food served during Ramadan), fruit, and milk. We wanted to buy them before, but we didn’t have any money.
Alhamdulillah, I’m glad we wanted to find a replacement for the mukena (prayer clothes). Someone gave it to us, Alhamdulillah. I am grateful for being looked after, being given takjil (a meal eaten during Ramadan), being given a mukena (prayer cloth). Thank you very much. May you have lots of fortune, live a long life, come here again to look after the grandmothers. Grandma would love to be looked after,” hoped Nek Iis.
As the sun set, the visit ended. However, the bond that was formed that day left a mark on the hearts of the residents of the nursing home. “Hopefully you will come often to visit the grandmothers. We love it when people visit us,” said Nek Iis with sparkling eyes.
Novria Ramadhani, Marketing Clean Plus Tissue, added that they wanted to share happiness with the grandmothers at the nursing home.
“We chose the retirement home so that the residents here can also feel our presence here, of course social activities are also for other people so that the residents here can also feel what we feel, the happiness that we feel, with our presence here who knows, maybe the residents here can feel our happiness too,” he said.
Behind the doors of this orphanage, there are heartwarming life stories, and with each visit, there is a glimmer of hope for those who have grown old alone. (Dompet Dhuafa)
Text and photos: Anndini Dwi Putri
Editor: Dhika