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Boundless Service Social Pillars: From Cooking To Mixing Herbs in a Public Kitchen

Boundless Service Social Pillars: From Cooking To Mixing Herbs in a Public Kitchen
Writer :
Laili Hariroh
Translator :
Karlina Irsalyana

SURABAYA (July 13, 2021) – Time is still showing at 05.30 a.m. You can see the volunteers from the Public Kitchen going back and forth at the Surabaya Convention Hall on Jalan Arief Rahman Hakim.

 

Volunteers consisting of Disaster Preparedness Cadets (Tagana), community social workers, District Social Welfare Workers (TKSK), PKH companions, and Karang Taruna (Youth Organization) are preparing ready-to-eat food packages to ensure that the food and nutritional needs of the community are met during the Emergency PPKM period.

 

As social pillars, they share tasks. Some go to the market to buy ingredients for cooking, while others prepare to package and then distribute the food to Surabaya, Gresik, Sidoarjo, and Bangkalan.

 

The atmosphere of the public kitchen is getting busier with cooking activities but still implementing health protocols, such as maintaining distance, wearing masks, and no crowding.

 

As of July 9, 2021, a total of 23,600 ready-to-eat meals have been distributed to public kitchens belonging to MoSA, including to hospitals, the Cleansing and Green Open Space Service (DKRTH), regional health laboratories, and Social Welfare Institutions (LKS) that need assistance in East Java.

 

Still, on Saturday afternoon, the number of ready-to-eat food packages continued to increase to 29,940 to meet the nutritional needs of those carrying out humanitarian tasks, such as health workers and funeral parlor officers.

 

“After all they have to be healthy. If they are not healthy how can they carry out this very heavy task? They can also be exposed to (Covid-19)," said the Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismaharini.

 

Among the volunteers who manage the public kitchen of MoSA, some come from 8 regions in East Java such as Surabaya, Bangkalan, Gresik, Banyuwangi, Jember, Mojokerto, Sidoarjo, and Pasuruan City.

 

The resilience of social pillars in MoSA's public kitchens is not a 'before bed' story. They work hand in hand and make sure their food needs are met.

 

The person in charge of public kitchens in Surabaya, Joko P, said that there is no time limit for the operating hours of public kitchens. He and his team are trying to fulfill requests for ready-to-eat food as soon as possible.

 

Behind the alertness of the volunteers, there is an obstacle, namely the limited availability of water in public kitchens in Surabaya.

“The water supply likes to shut down while having to handle thousands of boxed rice. It takes a lot of water to wash the cooked ingredients and to bathe the volunteers who work,” said Joko.

Despite the existing obstacles, the solidarity and spirit of the social pillars to help others do not dim. When the presence of vitamins is difficult to find, they make herbal medicine as a complement to daily nutrition.

“Usually we give vitamins, but recently there are no vitamins. Finally, mixing herbs to replace vitamins from the manufacturer, said Joko, proudly

The task of the social pillars is not easy. But there is no surrender in the interest of society. High appreciation deserves to be pinned for those who carry out social tasks in the region and encourage social participation in the community.

In addition, the public kitchen which is managed by these social pillars is a witness that the state is present amid a society that is struggling against the pandemic.






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