Tgk Umar Rafsanjani
THE REPORTER | In the midst of the roar of life, when many people are trapped in comfort, there is a figure who tirelessly sacrifices everything for the future of orphans and the poor in Aceh.
His name is Umar Rafsanjani. He is not only a leader, but also a father, husband, and caregiver for dozens of children whose fate was abandoned after the wave of foreign aid after the tsunami slowly disappeared.
Umar and his students had to move up to five times, not in grand houses or decent places, but starting from a shop that was more like a warehouse, where Umar, his wife and four children at that time lived in limitations.
Just imagine, Umar and his family had to sleep in one narrow room with dozens of students he cared for. A situation that may be unimaginable for most people, but for Umar, that was the price that had to be paid to ensure that these children continued to receive an education.
The tests that Umar faced did not stop at the matter of the students’ housing and food needs. He also had to face various personal conflicts, ranging from disputes within the family, to broken relationships with several teachers who used to support him.
Not infrequently, Umar faced betrayal and slander from the people he helped and raised. Those he had once educated, like a cow saved from an old well trap, actually gored him after he managed to get up. Betrayal from the people he trusted and helped added to the wounds in his struggle, but Umar still chose to persevere.
In his journey to fight for education, Umar also had to go back and forth to Malaysia, not to work or seek personal gain, but to knock on the doors of mosques and prayer rooms, asking for donations to meet the food and education needs of his students.
A difficult choice, especially when he had to leave his own education. In fact, Umar had registered for a doctoral program at Universiti Utara Malaysia. However, once again, for Umar, the education of orphans and the poor was more valuable than the degree he dreamed of.
The most difficult conditions came when Umar and his family lived on the banks of the Lamnyong River, Rukoh, Banda Aceh. With a very difficult life, he remained undaunted.
Now, Umar’s struggle is realized in an Institution/Foundation that he named “Dayah Mini Aceh”, a simple but loving place that is a home for orphans and dhu’afa students located in Gampong Alue Naga, Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh City.
In that place, he continued the spirit of education that was once carried by foreign NGOs after the tsunami hit Aceh.
The life story of Tgk. Umar Rafsanjani teaches us about determination, sacrifice, and unlimited love for others. He is living proof that difficulties are never a reason to give up on doing good.
On the contrary, from all limitations, Umar found the strength to continue fighting, making education the most beautiful legacy for those who need it most.[AR]
editor: Deddy Ridwan