Forced to Eat Mud-Contaminated Rice, Aceh Tamiang Residents Receive Emergency Support as DT Peduli and Telkom Establish Community Kitchen

ACEH TAMIANG — How can people stay healthy when even eating rice becomes a struggle for survival? This is the harsh reality faced by residents of Aceh Tamiang in the aftermath of devastating floods.

In Menang Gini Village, many families are still forced to cook rice salvaged from floodwaters—rice coated in mud, washed with murky water, roughly dried under the sun, and eventually consumed. What is painful to imagine has become a daily necessity for residents trying to survive amid limited resources.

Moved by these alarming conditions, DT Peduli, in collaboration with Telkom Indonesia, established a community kitchen to provide healthy, nutritious meals starting on Wednesday (December 10, 2025).

The kitchen is equipped with gas stoves, LPG cylinders, large cooking pots, pans, and essential food supplies such as rice, cooking oil, spices, vegetables, and protein sources, enabling volunteers to prepare meals in large quantities each day.

Behind the daily operation of the community kitchen stands Sri, a displaced resident who tirelessly helps run the facility to support fellow survivors. Despite the many limitations, she remains at the front line, ensuring that warm meals are available for anyone in need.

“We work together—especially the women here—to cook and prepare food. Alhamdulillah, the support from Telkom Peduli has been incredibly helpful for our kitchen. We received pots, stoves, pans, and food supplies. It has made a huge difference. We are truly grateful and thankful to Telkom Peduli,” Sri said.

In addition to food assistance, clean water supplies have also been delivered to the village, which had long struggled with access to safe water. The availability of clean water allows residents to drink, perform ablutions, bathe, and resume basic daily activities with greater safety and dignity.

For all the support provided, residents expressed their sincere gratitude to MTTG and BAZNAS Telkom Indonesia for their concern and solidarity.

This assistance has helped ease the hardship faced by the people of Aceh Tamiang, offering renewed hope as they strive to recover from disaster.

“The community kitchen and clean water supply stand as tangible proof that solidarity can strengthen communities—helping them endure, recover, and support one another in times of crisis,” said Juliani, a DT Peduli volunteer.