ACTNews, BANTUL - The hot, dry air in the middle of August 2019 did not stop the residents of Sidomulyo Village, Bambanglipuro Subdistrict, Bantul from gathering at Ar Raihan Integrated Islamic Elementary School. There, around 90 goats were slaughtered, and the meat was distributed to 200 impoverished residents. There was also something special that day. It was the Sesarengan Syukuran Qurban, or the Qurbani Thanksgiving held by Global Qurban – ACT Special Region of Yogyakarta that brought together hundreds of residents. They enjoyed the gathering where they met to cut and prepare the qurbani animals to be eaten together.

The meat was processed into dishes that are familiar to the locals. However, the important thing is not the food. Rather, the kinship and warm interactions among the locals.

Bagus Suryanto, Head of the Global Qurban – Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) Special Region of Yogyakarta said, the event aims to cement the kinship among the local residents. In unison with the Eid Al-Adha 2019, a severe drought hit Special Region of Yogyakarta province, including Bantul. "With this event, hopefully, the residents can strengthen each other in the midst of a disaster (i.e. the drought)," Bagus said in August 2019.

Not only held the Qurbani Thanksgiving event, Global Qurban – ACT also distributed cooked meat to impoverished families and families affected by the drought. In 2019, Global Qurban - ACT uses non-plastic packaging to reduce waste, and use woven bamboo container instead.

In addition to Bantul, the Qurbani Thanksgiving was also held in Gunungkidul. Grogol Village, Paliyan Subdistrict, Gunungkidul, was one of the areas affected by severe drought in Special Region of Yogyakarta. Sources of water dried up, and the locals had no other choice but to buy water for hundreds of thousands Rupiah. "As a result of this drought, not a few residents have to sell their livestock to buy water," explained Winarno, a volunteer from the Masyarakat Relawan Indonesia (MRI) Gunungkidul, in August 2019.

By holding the qurbani thanksgiving and distributing both raw and processed meat, Global Qurban - ACT aimed to bring happiness in the midst of the disaster. In 2020, Global Qurban - ACT will visit disaster-hit areas such as North Konawe and Luwu which were recently hit by flash flood. The happiness of the beneficiaries is inseparable from the role of the donors who channel their qurbani through Global Qurban - ACT. []