بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيم

I am writing this campaign on behalf of my dear friend, Siti. I realized now that Siti finds it difficult to ask for help. In her heart she feels she has already received so much kindness and it'dbe ungrateful to ask for more. She worries about troubling others, even when she truly needs support. So I want everyone to know that this is my initiative, out of care, concern, and love for her.

Since COVID, life has never truly settled for Siti.

A few years ago, she lived with me until the earthquake damaged the room she was staying in. She moved to her own place with everyone's help, but because I was caring for my parents and grandmother, I could not visit her as often as I used to. There were weeks when we only spoke over WhatsApp. Each time I finally saw her in person, the change in her face was noticeable. She looked more tired than before. More pale. More drained.

I would tell her to rest, to let me watch her nephew, even for an afternoon. She would always say the same thing: I don’t want to be a burden.

But to me, she has never been a burden. Not once.

Caring for my parents has shown me how tiring life can be, and perhaps that is why my heart aches when I see her carrying everything alone.

For months, every time I managed to catch up with her, she would tell me she had the flu or was feeling fatigued. It struck me as strange that she seemed to fall sick so often. She would be fine for a few weeks, then suddenly spend a week or two feeling very unwell. Later, I learned she had been oversimplifying everything. It wasn’t the flu at all.

Only recently did I find out the truth: Siti has been living with an autoimmune disease. Stress can make autoimmune illnesses flare, and with everything she carries alone, it is no surprise that her condition worsened.

Siti and her nephew are part of the national healthcare system, and she pays a monthly fee for it.

Alhamdulillah, this allows her to see her doctor and have some treatments covered. But there is one crucial treatment she needs that is not covered, and that is a monthly IVIg treatment. The cost for this is around three million rupiah, which is roughly £150. So far she has only treated her symptoms.

When I asked her why she had not taken it, she said,  I don’t have that kind of money.

Not because she earns nothing, because the laundromat does give her a steady income. But whatever she earns each month goes straight into rent savings, Ali’s schooling, and his daily nutritional needs. If she spent that amount on herself, even once, Ali would feel the impact immediately. And that is something she refuses to let happen.

It broke my heart to know she had been struggling quietly, choosing to endure her illness untreated so she could keep providing for her nephew.

And still, even while ill, she remains the kind of person who holds tightly to amanah.

When she was raising funds to relocate her niece’s grave due to landslide, some suggested she use the money for her own needs. But she refused. She said, people gave the money not for that purpose, I cannot use it for another.

She held onto that amanah while quietly think of her 'future' as well. She finally told me that she was also worried that if things became worse and she passed away, she would leave her nephew with the burden of finding a resting place for her.

That thought alone shattered me.

Siti has lived her life caring for others while pushing her own needs aside. Now, she is trying to support herself, keep up with rent, run her small laundromat, and save for her nephew’s school fees. He is growing, and she dreams for him to have better future.

I am helping in every way I can. After losing my grandmother and selling my car to support my mother’s surgery, my house now has a spare room and an empty garage. I have offered Siti a place to stay and a space to continue her laundromat so she does not need to worry saving for rent.

But even with that, I know she needs more support than I alone can provide.

That is why I created this campaign.

× Not for a one time emergency.
× Not for a single bill.
But for ongoing, gentle support, the kind that helps a struggling family breathe over time.

Allah encourages us to give from our rizq. A portion of our income belongs to sadaqah and zakat. These acts soften the heart, bring barakah, and lift burdens from those who are struggling. My hope is that those who are able will consider allocating part of their regular sadaqah or zakat towards Siti and her nephew. 

It does not need to be large. Even small, steady kindness helps them in meaningful ways, whether by easing her healthcare costs, supporting Ali’s schooling, or covering their basic necessities.

If you cannot give financially, your duas are also a form of sadaqah. Your prayers, your compassion, your sharing of this campaign. All of it is meaningful.

May Allah bring ease to Siti’s health, strength to her heart, and stability to her home.

May He reward everyone who helps her, openly or quietly, and return that goodness to them in ways they cannot imagine.

Let’s help her so she can also focus on her health. Even small sadaqah or zakat can ease their burden. Thank you for reading, caring, and supporting in whatever way you can.

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If you wish to send donation directly to her, her paypal is sifathlubis@gmail.com