Although Flooding Forced Jinan to Evacuate and Lose Her School Supplies, Her Dream of Becoming a Doctor Remains Strong

Floods and landslides struck several regions across Sumatra at the end of November. Heavy rainfall caused water levels to rise rapidly and forced many residents to leave their homes, including Jinan, a 13-year-old girl from Desa Hutanabolon, Kecamatan Tukka, Tapanuli Selatan, North Sumatra.

That afternoon, Jinan was in her room using her phone. She did not expect the water to enter the house so quickly. Within a short time, the puddles turned into rising floodwaters. Panic grew as the water nearly submerged her body. Jinan, together with her grandmother, grandfather, and uncle, immediately left the house to save themselves.

Since the disaster, Jinan has been living in an evacuation tent with her grandmother. She has long been accustomed to living with them while her parents work away from home. At the evacuation site, she tries to carry on calmly each day. She still greets the people around her warmly, even though memories of the flood continue to return.

Jinan also had to accept that she could not save her school supplies. Her shoes, uniform, books, and school bag were swept away by the floodwaters. This loss forced her to start over, including in her learning activities. Amid the ongoing recovery process through the spirit of #SumatraRecovery, Jinan slowly began rebuilding her daily routines.

Despite these circumstances, Jinan continues to protect her dreams. She hopes to become a doctor because she wants to help other people. She understands that achieving her dream requires effort and perseverance. Even while living in an evacuation shelter, she continues studying and moving forward step by step.

Jinan’s story reflects how a young person continues striving ahead despite sudden changes in life. Solidarity makes those steps feel lighter and more purposeful. Human Initiative continues accompanying disaster survivors through various forms of relevant support.

Dear Initiators can also take part in this collaboration for good through solusipeduli.org so that more children like Jinan can continue building a brighter and more secure future.

Name has been changed to protect the identity of the rights holder.