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

Medan, North Sumatra – (19/02/26) – Jestham has a unique and very kind habit. She travels 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 merely to sell. She wants to share and help in a different way.

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

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

Next, Jestham approached a bajaj (three-wheeled taxi) driver. The driver was resting in his Bajaj. Jestham asked how many orders he had gotten that day. The driver answered that he had only gotten one order since 11 a.m. His income was uncertain because he uses an online app. "If I spend money on fuel and then get no orders, I can end up losing money," he explained, more or less.

Jestham then offered the one-thousand-rupiah rice to the Bajaj driver. He accepted it happily while saying alhamdulillah (praise be to God). But Jestham did not stop there. She gave extra money to the driver as well. "Here, Sir, I am adding a bit more sustenance for you today," she said. The Bajaj 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." Clearly, the price of the rice at one thousand rupiah is far cheaper than usual. Jestham sells rice for only one thousand, but the impact is huge for those who receive it. She proves that small acts 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 – with even the smallest thing, we too might make their day better.