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ACTNews, DEPOK - "People say, if we really want to make a repentance,
we truly have to start everything all over again," Rizqi (37) said. Four
years ago, her husband was a manager at a bank. He quitted his job to avoid
usury. They had to mortgage their house and move to a rented house in Pengasinan,
Depok.
Rizqi’s family
had to face yet another difficulty as her husband was laid off from her new job
in food industry. The turnover of their honey business has also been decreasing.
As the price of honey soars, the sales were decreasing.
"We had
nothing left. In the end, all of the money that we used as the capital of our
honey business was used up. Once, we had no rice to eat, but we were standing
strong. At that time, we really had no idea how to get food for our family,"
Rizqi narrated.
In order to survive, this family did whatever it takes. They sold pieces of furniture to fulfill basic needs, pay for their children’s education, and to pay for her father-in-law’s medical treatment. They sold their water dispensers, chairs, even pots.
Rizqi tells her story of the difficulties that she faced during the
pandemic. (ACTNews / Akbar)
“There was a
friend who was kind enough to buy our merchandise although she might not really
need it. At that time, I saw no way out. We were all in difficult situations,
but we tried to avoid taking loans not only because we don’t want to deal with
interest-based transactions but also because I may not be able to repay the
debts,” explained Rizqi.
The peak of
their tribulations was when Rizqi gave birth to her fourth child in mid-2020.
Rizky was grateful that she and her baby are healthy. But she was also worried
about how to meet her baby’s needs.
"May Allah
forgive me for complaining. I truly believe that Allah has written the
sustenance of all my children. They don’t work, and we live in a rented house.
We really had no assets, but I believe in Allah’s assistance. I may not know
when it will come, but the important thing for me is just to pray,” Rizqi said
through tears.
Dapur Si Mbah
Several months
ago, Rizqi and her mother Nunu (69), commonly called Mbah (“Granny”), were given some recipes from their neighbor. Mbah,
who really likes cooking, then sells the dishes she makes to her neighbors
through a WhatsApp group. They name their business Dapur Si Mbah (Si Mbah's Kitchen). At first, their business did not
run smoothly.
"Once, we
sold nothing from the capital of IDR 300,000," said Nunu. They did not
stop. Their new business has been running for three months, earning them It is
proven that now they also have many customers in the group with their favorite
menu of pineapple chicken and rendang. Running for 3 months, now the business
can generate a net income of IDR 100,000 per production.
Their honey business has also been running again. But they haven’t been able to manage the capital efficiently. “The money that we use for the capital of our honey business comes from the net profit of our food business. When people order our honey, we often tell them that the honey will be available the next day,” said Rizqi.
The honey that Rizqi and her husband sell when still in stock.
(ACTNews)
Her husband
helps deliver the honey and dishes that they make while working as a
freelancer. He is still searching for a new job. He doesn’t want to work in a
bank again despite offers from various banking institutions.
In the end,
Rizqi heard about Global Wakaf – ACT’s Waqf for Business Capital program from
an Islamic preacher who is also a member of her WhatsApp group. The business
capital assistance will be handed over on Friday (1/8/2021). "We hope that
Global Wakaf – ACT can help us with interest-free business capital. We really
hope to develop our businesses," hoped Rizqi. []
