Cak Kaji Restaurant in Jember Provides Free Iftar Meals for Displaced Student Migrants from Sumatra Flood Victims

The suffering of flood victims that devastated the Sumatra region on 24-27 November 2027 has yet to fade. More than three months after the disaster, survivors in the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra remain living in emergency shelters.

They endure nights sleeping under plastic tarpaulin tents whilst suffering from cold and mosquito attacks, followed by scorching heat during the day. Their homes have been destroyed, economic activities have halted, and they face a shortage of clean water and food to break their fasts during Ramadan.

In response, Cak Kaji café and restaurant in East Java has provided free food and meals to student migrants from the flood-affected regions of Sumatra. The exclusive-class restaurant owner, situated in a rice field at Jalan Pengandaran, Desa Antirogo, Kecamatan Sumbersari, Kabupaten Jember, has extended an invitation to all students and migrants from Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra to satisfy their hunger and thirst after fasting throughout the day.

“We empathise with the situation of flood victims in Sumatra. Particularly in Aceh, which is still suffering during this Ramadan month. Their homes have been swept away by flooding, their livelihoods destroyed, and they face difficulties bearing the costs of education and family living expenses. This prompted my husband and I to feel called to provide meals for students studying in Jember,” said Baiq Lily Handayani, owner of Cak Kaji Café and Restaurant, in an interview.

Baiq Lily Handayani, wife of Rozaq Asyhari, noted that amongst the flood-affected students studying in Jember, those from Aceh make up the majority breaking their fast at Cak Kaji Restaurant. This is likely because Aceh was the most extensively and severely impacted by the major flooding.

“Especially since all those from Aceh are Muslims. We opened the restaurant towards iftar time, operating only in the evening. The students from Aceh, the Verandah of Mecca, fast during the day,” explained Handayani, a graduate of Jember State University (UNEJ).

Handayani added that following the Sumatra floods, she and her husband felt deeply concerned upon learning of the conditions of affected residents whose homes were destroyed, businesses lost, and agricultural lands severely damaged. Rather than travelling to the disaster site to provide direct assistance, they decided to ease the burden on affected families by helping their children studying and living as migrants in Jember.

“Around 4 December, approximately ten days after flooding devastated Sumatra, we spread the message through social media and WhatsApp status to invite students from the flood-affected regions of Sumatra to eat free meals three times a day at Cak Kaji Restaurant. Initially, they were uncertain whether it was genuine or a joke. Eventually, with God’s will, they responded, though some were hesitant or embarrassed to come,” added Handayani, who is also a senior lecturer in sociology at Jember State University.

Khairil Akli, a student at Jember State University from Krueng Seumideuen, Pidie District, Aceh, acknowledged that since the flood’s aftermath, he has frequently enjoyed free meals at Cak Kaji Restaurant. Initially, the menu was buffet-style, allowing diners to select from various items available at a designated complimentary table. Now, the arrangement has become more refined, with customers ordering from the restaurant staff according to their preferences. After ordering rice and beverages, they simply wait at their dining table for the food to be prepared and served.

“This kindness has been tremendously helpful for our lives as boarding students. It has eased the burden on our parents and supported our continued studies in Jember. Whether we study at Jember State University, Jember State Polytechnic, UIN Jember, or various other private universities. Thank you to Cak Kaji Café and Restaurant. May this become eternal charity for its owners and staff. We also thank the people of Jember and residents of East Java,” said Khairil Akli.

M Adli Abdullah, a cultural scholar from Syiah Kuala University (USK) in Aceh, expressed deep gratitude for the generosity of the Cak Kaji Café and Restaurant owners in Jember. The free iftar meals for a full month have been particularly helpful for students from Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, easing the economic burden on their families still surviving in emergency shelters.

Even further back, three months since the flood and landslide disaster, the restaurant owned by the Rozaq Asyhari family and his wife Baiq Lily Handayani has willingly dedicated their resources and business. This represents an extraordinary humanitarian sacrifice for young people and Acehnese migrants pursuing their educational futures in Jember.

“We Acehnese people will always remember and pray for their assistance. Their service and concern are truly remarkable. This is something rarely found, and not everyone is willing to do it. Few people receive such divine inspiration to open their hearts so generously. Your contributions are truly valuable for our children,” said M Adli Abdullah, a senior lecturer who deeply understands the character of Acehnese people.