Sava could not breathe every time she heard a death announcement from the nearby mosque, mainly caused by COVID-19. She used to get updated only through news programmes on TV after the second wave of COVID-19 that brought the Delta variant strikes in June-July 2021. And now, the virus has gotten closer to her family and neighbourhood.
“I told my mother that I felt sorry for the families whose loved ones died from COVID-19. Those families could not take care of them and properly said goodbye to them. My mother was just listening and reminding me to keep doing the health protocols,” told Sava.
Sava and her mother were quite disciplined when applying the health protocol. Even though they were mostly staying at home due to the existing multi-tiered public activity restrictions. They were also quite fussy toward his father to sternly comply with health protocols during his shift as a Security Officer in one of the private companies.
“My mom and I often remind my father to wash his hands with soap and take a bath immediately after he returns from the office. Because only my father who still go out and works, since his work demands him to do it,” she said.
Unfortunately, Sava’s family were contracted with COVID-19 at the beginning of June 2021. Her mother had early symptoms like high fever along with cough. She slowly lost her sense of smell. She was getting better in several days. But then Sava got the same symptoms, so did her father. After a thorough examination at the public health facility, all three of them were declared COVID-19 positive. They stayed at home for isolation. Only in a couple of days, Sava’s mother’s condition was getting worse. Sava and her father were about to take her to the hospital, but she refused. She was scared to be left alone and separated from her family. Day by day, her condition has gotten much worse, so that she was brought to the Emergency Unit. But she was too weak to survive the journey. Sadly, Sava’s mother passed away on her way to the hospital.
“I can’t believe it’s happening to me. My mother passed away, and she was only covered in a plastic bag. I am devastated, but what can I do?! My father and I are fully recovered now. We are much more disciplined in applying the health protocol now. My father could not even wait to get his first COVID-19 jab this month. Never underestimate COVID-19. Stay strong!” remind Sava.
Sava was one of the students who received COVID 19 emergency assistance from Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia). The response includes providing a menstruation hygiene management kit, COVID-19 protection kit and personal hygiene kit.
“Thank God! This assistance package is definitely useful for me. So that I could save some money. Especially the needs to buy feminine hygiene products which cannot be found nearby our residence area” expressed Sava
In responding to this situation, Plan Indonesia carried out the COVID-19 emergency response in Greater Jakarta Area, focusing on the needs of the children, especially girls and young women. The focus of this humanitarian assistance is to help 1,000 children aged 0-18 years old (500 girls, 500 boys) and 500 families in the Greater Jakarta Area. The emergency response further aims to protect children from the COVID-19 infection and ensure rights for girls, children with disabilities, and children from low-income families. (***)
Drafted by Musfarayani | Edited by Intan Cinditiara
