Chief Brig. Fauzi and his wife Paulina felt moved every time they saw scavengers, vagabonds or pedicab drivers pass in front of their motorcycle workshop. They often gave them one or two packs of food. Later, they opened kiosk called Warung Shodaqoh, which provided free meals for the duafa (poor people). They got the money they needed for this from public donations.
One morning at the end of June, Paulina and three other women were busy frying omelets with sliced leeks at the Bintang Terang motorbike workshop on Jl. Yos Sudarso, Wonokriyo subdistrict, Gombong district, Kebumen, Central Java.
While sitting on a dingklik (small wooden chair), they worked together cooking side dishes and preparing more than 500 packs of food. "We started cooking preparations last Thursday," Paulina said on Friday (28/6/2019).
While the women were cooking, Fauzi, with the help of his children and one workshop employee, prepared a tent, tarp, table, chairs and cart for the food. All of the equipment was brought to a spot next to the workshop called the Warung Shodaqoh.
They were scavengers, pedicab drivers and construction workers.
At about 9:30 a.m., the dishes, such as rice in large baskets, fried capcay, fried potato sauce and omelets, began to be served in the stall. Seeing the food was ready, the people who wanted to get it immediately lined up. They were scavengers, pedicab drivers and construction workers.
Paulina, assisted by her child, kindly served them. "One person can get three packs of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner," said Paulina.
Warung Shodaqoh has opened every Friday since 2017. In addition to providing free meals to people who don\'t have food, the shop also sends meals to a number of mosques, including Al-Amanah Mosque, Baiturrohim Mosque and Al-Ikhlas Mosque, to be shared after Friday prayers.
Fauzi said his family took the initiative to open Warung Shodaqoh because they were sorry to see the duafa who could not necessarily eat decent food every day. Initially, his family gave one or two packs of food to those passing by in front of the workshop. Afterwards, they began providing more packs of food. They cook 5 kilograms of rice and side dishes to make 37 to 40 meal packs.
I and my family just want to be people who are beneficial to others.
Fauzi, who works for the Sempor Police in Kebumen, said that according to his religious teachings, almsgiving on Friday would get double return. For this reason, Fauzi and his family opened the Warung Shodaqoh.
"I and my family just want to be people who are beneficial to others," he said.
Move others
Fauzi and Paulina\'s enthusiasm for sharing turned out to move many other people. Some came to donate rice, cooking oil, eggs or money, ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of rupiah. Others donated energy.
"One day, we ran out of food ingredients. My money was also used up. I was confused about how to cook. Suddenly, there was a pedicab driver who brought a sack of rice. When asked, he said it was from a person at the market who did not want to be named. This rice was for the Warung Shodaqoh," Fauzi said.
There are 25 donors who routinely make donations through Warung Shodaqoh. In addition, there are 12 cooks who are ready to deploy their energy to help. The volume of rice cooked every Friday now ranges from 1.5 quintals to 2 quintals and can produce 500 meal packs.
"My family is very supportive. Both parents also provide support. Then, there are friends of my wife and also the wives of the policemen. Not all of them are Muslims; there are also Christians and Catholics," Fauzi said. As a form of accountability to the donors, we submit reports of cooking and finance through a WhatsApp group," he said.
The social activity sometimes gets comments from food sellers nearby. "Someone said, albeit jokingly, \'Please, don’t give them too much food, otherwise my kiosk would not get visitors,\'" Fauzi said.
Still at work
Although every Friday he takes care of Warung Shodaqoh, Fauzi continues carrying out his main duties as a member of the Sempor District Police in Kebumen and serves as the head of the Sempor Police public relations unit. "My boss always tells me to continue the social service while not forgetting my main duty," Fauzi said.
For his initiative establishing Warung Shodaqoh, Fauzi received an appreciation from Kebumen Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Robertho Pardede in March 2019. Fauzi was considered to have made an achievement because he founded Warung Shodaqoh for the poor and remained disciplined and responsible at work.
Fauzi is happy that Warung Shodaqoh can serve the duafa who need food and provide space for benefactors who want to make donations.