Al Falah is not only a home for transgender women to worship and study religion, but also for social activities. Aid flowed during this pandemic and some of it was always set aside for local residents.

by M. HILMI S. , Jakarta - WINDA AIP ., Jogjakarta, Jawa Pos

She has successfully gone through the biggest wave. So, when there was another wave of beatings, Shinta Ratri stood firm. The biggest waves occurred four years ago. When a group of people protested and asked to close the pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) specifically for waria she founded and managed.

"I tried to remain calm at that time and finally was able to regain the right to reopen the pesantren's activities," he said in the third webinar in the series of 100 Percent Inclusion Festival last week.

Meanwhile, a wave that is no less hitting is the Covid-19 pandemic that is currently happening. An accident that really disturbs the daily lives of Al Falah, the boarding school she founded in 2008.

"It has not had an economic impact on the santri yet," she said of the 42 santri living in Al Falah.

However, his calm and resilience bore fruit. Basic food assistance from a number of institutions and partners flowed to the boarding school in Kotagede, Jogjakarta. The donation is then distributed to the students.

However, not all. Some of it is still set aside for residents around the pesantren. The goal is to further strengthen the pesantren's social relations with their neighbors.

For more than a decade, Shinta has been persistent in defending the Islamic boarding school and defending the rights of the transgender community to continue carrying out worship, which has resulted in awards. As reported by Jawa Pos Radar Jogja, dedication and commitment has also earned her an award as a human rights defender from Front Line Defenders, an international organization for the protection of human rights defenders based in the Republic of Ireland.

Front Line Defenders also provided 6,500 euros (around Rp. 100 million) in assistance through the Save and Security program. '' Yes, we just take care of this. In October, I will go to Ireland, '' he told Jawa Pos Radar Jogja on a different occasion.

During this pandemic, continued Shinta, who is also a transvestite, Al Falah students could not fully gather in the pesantren. Many return home or choose boarding houses not far from the pesantren. In the early days of the pandemic, all learning activities at the pesantren stopped completely. Both religious and non-religious.

However, since about two months ago, religious activities were held again. For example, reciting the Koran.

"Because it is impossible for us not to do anything," explained 58-year-old Shinta.

The recitation activities at Al Falah were carried out under the guidance of Ustad Arif Nuh Safri. "I think this pesantren is appropriate and worthy to be their space so that they are more comfortable in serving Allah," Arif explained to Jawa Pos Radar Jogja.

Arif saw for himself how eager the waria who became santri were to study religion. "Every human being, whatever his status, must have a strong desire to be close to God in the mind of his heart," he said.

That also motivates Shinta. Waria, she said, often experience multiple layers of discrimination. From family and environment. The matter of worship, the basic right of every human being, is also not easy. They are often sneered at, yelled at, or talked about in whispers.

"It makes waria uncomfortable praying in public places," he said.

That does not include the inner conflicts experienced when they feel physically uncomfortable with their man. Shinta of course also experienced it. "I experienced an identity crisis during junior high school," she recalls.

Al Falah was founded after starting with the desire to find a place to fulfill spiritual needs as an ordinary human being.

For her, waria are also God's creatures who have the right to be treated the same as other citizens, including in matters of religion. For 12 years now, Al Falah has become the home for transgender people in Yogyakarta and its surroundings. There, the students not only study religion, but also other social activities such as social services, afternoon school (learning to cook, hydroponics, hijab creation), and inclusion activities.

"My hope is that with this their welfare or economic stability will increase. Because we believe that the stability of life is directly proportional to the opportunity to worship, '' said Shinta. See more via Jawapos