One Thousand Rupiah for a Bag of Rice, a Million Meanings for Fellow Humans

Medan, North Sumatra – (February 19, 2026) Jestham has a unique and very kind habit. She travels around the streets looking for people who are struggling to make a living. To them, Jestham offers rice at a very low price—only one thousand rupiah. But actually, Jestham’s intention is not just to sell. She wants to share and help in a different way.

Jestham met an online motorcycle taxi driver who was waiting for passengers or orders. Jestham asked, "Sir, I want to sell rice. It costs one thousand rupiah. Would you like to buy it?" The man said he didn’t have one thousand rupiah. Jestham asked again how much money he had. The man replied that he had two thousand rupiah. Jestham still gave him the rice. She took the two thousand rupiah from the man, then returned the banknote while saying, "This is change from God for you, Sir." The man just smiled and expressed his gratitude, perhaps feeling both confused and moved.

Then Jestham met another father whose child was boarding at an Islamic boarding school (pesantren). The school fee for his child was 850 thousand rupiah, but he had only collected 200 thousand. Jestham immediately gave him extra money. "Here is some extra sustenance for your child at the pesantren. I hope this can help." The father uttered words of gratitude repeatedly. Jestham also encouraged him, "Stay healthy, Sir. Keep up the spirit for your child's sake."

Next, Jestham approached a becak (three-wheeled pedicab) driver. The driver was resting in his becak. Jestham asked how many orders he had gotten that day. The driver replied that he had only gotten one order since 11 a.m. His income was uncertain because he used an online app. "If I spend money on fuel and then don’t receive any orders, I could end up losing money," he explained.

Jestham then offered the one-thousand-rupiah rice to the becak driver. He accepted it with pleasure while saying "Alhamdulillah" (praise be to God). But Jestham didn’t stop there. She gave extra money to the driver as well. "Here, Sir, I am adding more sustenance for you today," she said. The becak driver was surprised and delighted. His face, which had looked tired, brightened up. He kept saying thank you.

Every time she gave money or rice, Jestham always called it "sustenance" (rezeki) or "change from God." In fact, the price of the rice at one thousand rupiah is far cheaper than usual. Jestham only sells rice for one thousand rupiah, but the impact is enormous for those who receive it. She proves that a small act of kindness, done sincerely, can feel extraordinary for those who are struggling. Starting now, let’s pay attention to the people around us. Who knows, even with the smallest thing, we might also be able to make their day better.