First Eid for Residents of Prosperous Fishermen's Village, Now Without Anxiety

A gentle sea breeze blew on Saturday morning. The sound of takbir echoed from the mosque in Prosperous Fishermen’s Village, Eretan Kulon Village, Indramayu Regency, West Java.

For Warsana (42), the atmosphere of this year’s Eid al-Fitr felt different—more joyful and calmer. Not because of new clothes or abundant dishes, but because for the first time, Warsana and his family could celebrate Eid without being haunted by anxiety.

“This year’s Eid feels happier and calmer. The cleanliness here is very noticeable, and the atmosphere is comfortable. So even without much, we can still feel happy with the family,” said Warsana in a written statement on Sunday (22/3/2026).

Warsana lives with his wife, Kadmina (39), and their three children. His life was previously far from peaceful. Since his teenage years, he has gone to sea, following in his family’s footsteps as a fisherman. Every dawn, he sets out to catch fish, returning in the afternoon with uncertain results.

After starting a family, what most disturbed Warsana’s mind was no longer just the catch. It was the family left at home, vulnerable to tidal flooding.

“When working, there’s always worry. Always thinking about the house flooding, thinking about the wife and children. But what can be done? If you’re always worried, work becomes unfocused. So you just hold it in; the important thing is to keep earning a living,” he said.

His house in Block Pangpang, Eretan Kulon Village, which he had occupied since 2014, gradually became uninhabitable. Tidal floods came repeatedly, bringing seawater that submerged the floor and damaged almost all the contents of the house. The unhealthy environment also affected his children.

“The children often get sick, sometimes stomach aches, sometimes itchy rashes. The water is salty, the environment is not clean, so their health is often disrupted,” he revealed.

The peak occurred at the end of 2022 when the flooding was very severe. Warsana’s wife was heavily pregnant and about to give birth to their third child. She had to be evacuated by being carried on a mattress to her parents’ house. Not long after, their house collapsed.

“At that time, that’s it; I didn’t think of anything else. The important thing is the family is safe first. A house can be found again, but if something happens to the family, that’s irreplaceable,” he said.

After the incident, Warsana and his family temporarily took refuge and stayed at his parents’ house. Amid limitations, he still tried to survive while waiting for hope of a more decent place to live.

That hope emerged when Warsana and his family moved to Prosperous Fishermen’s Village in 2025, an initiative of the Ministry of Social Affairs, local government, Baznas, BNPB, TNI-Polri, and various other parties.

This village was built as decent housing for fishermen who previously lived in tidal flood-prone areas. A total of 93 type-36 houses stand in this area, complete with two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and bathroom.

Not only houses, the area is also equipped with various supporting facilities, from clean water access, sanitation, electricity networks, to social facilities like a mosque, children’s and elderly parks, and economic empowerment spaces such as UMKM centres for fishermen’s families.

“Alhamdulillah, now it’s much better. The place is clean, the water is more decent, the children are healthier too. As parents, we’re calmer now, no more anxious when leaving the family at home for work,” said Warsana.

Nevertheless, Warsana still works hard. Besides fishing at sea, he also takes additional jobs as a daily labourer at the Eretan Kulon Fish Auction Site, and even as a goods delivery motorbike rider for locals. He does all this for his family.

“Now I try to work at anything as long as it’s halal. The important thing is the children can go to school, can eat, and life ahead can be better,” he explained.

Eid, which used to pass by just like that, has become a very meaningful moment for Warsana and his family this year. He chose to celebrate it simply, just with his small family in their new home.

“Our family would like to express our deepest thanks to the government, especially the Ministry of Social Affairs, for caring about small people like us. With this place, our lives have become much better, more decent, and calmer,” he said.

Eid is no longer just a celebration for Warsana. It is about the sense of security he never had before. About a house that no longer floods. About children who can grow up healthier.