RRI.CO.ID, Banda Aceh - The Rumah Baca Aneuk Nanggroe (Ruman) Aceh Community Learning Activity Center has distributed emergency aid from the Indonesian diaspora in Switzerland to survivors of flash floods and landslides in Gayo Lues Regency successfully. The distribution, carried out on Thursday, March 5, 2026, focuses on the hardest-hit communities currently struggling with high food prices and limited access.

The aid serves as a critical lifeline for families in the remote Pining and Blangkejeren districts as they prepare for the holy month of Ramadan and the upcoming Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

Ahmad Arif, the founder and supervisor of Ruman Aceh, revealed that the fundraising effort collected IDR 46 (USD 2,970) million in just a few days, sourced from Indonesians living in Switzerland as well as local donors. This fund was converted into 191 essential food packages (sembako).

The distribution of aid was strategically divided to ensure it reached the most vulnerable populations in the region. In Pining District, 160 packages were delivered to families across several villages where road access remains difficult and food supplies have significantly dwindled. Additionally, 31 packages were provided to affected families in the Blangkejeren District to support their immediate recovery needs.

Each relief package contained 5kg of rice, cooking oil, sugar, flour, syrup, butter, and salt, all packed in a reusable bucket. "Eggs were not purchased because the price surged from IDR 50,000 to IDR 65,000 per tray," Ahmad Arif noted, highlighting the local inflation caused by the disaster's impact on logistics.

Beyond food assistance, the diaspora's generosity extended to long-term recovery. A specific donation from a Swiss-based diaspora member originally from Sabang was used to repair a vital community hub in Pining.

The funds were used to cement the floor of a home belonging to a local literacy activist, which had been buried under nearly a meter of mud during the flash floods in late 2025. "The house is used by children for reading, learning, and reciting the Quran," Ahmad Arif explained.

As Pining remains severely impacted by hydrometeorological disasters, the aid provides more than just physical sustenance.

"Alhamdulillah, thank you to the diaspora in Switzerland and our friends who have shared happiness and fortune with the survivors. This assistance lightens the burden for survivors undergoing Ramadan and approaching Eid al-Fitr," Ahmad Arif concluded. ***