Se7en Heroes: Andi Rabiah (part I)

Many people struggle with their life and yet sometimes, they care more to the others than themselves. With a sincere heart they eager to help everyone who need their help. Just like Andi Rabiah, a "floating nurse" who serve on a more than 25 remote islands throughout Flores Sea. Her story was written on "Se7en Heroes". A book which contains 7 heroes picked by "Kick Andy"

Andi Rabiah become a well known nurse after her story as a "Suster Apung"become one of the finalist of Eagle awards 2007 (Eagle awards is a contest which held by Metro TV for a documentary movie). Andi Rabiah also nominated as "Kick Andy Heroes" because of her dedication as a nurse, which sometimes concurrently be a courier, a midwife and a doctor
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Andi Rabiah

Her face is calm and look sad. Even though burnt by sunlight, her face reveals a friendly charm to anyone who look at her. For the sake of hundreds, even thousands lives, Andi Rabiah always prepared to sail across the sea which bear a high risk. Death is the worst one. She sails to help locals on a remote island throughout 25 islands.

In march 6th 1979, Andi Rabiah was an eight-months-old-nurse. She was on her duty as a "Suster Apung" (floating nurse). One day, while on her duty, Andi Rabiah and several passengers was stranded on an uninhabited island after a storm crash the boat. They had to stay on Karangan Kapas for almost seven days.

One the sixth day, some people were desperate, they tried to consume poisonous things from the sea, while the others had a plan to swim to the nearest island. Both plans are risky. It might killed the passenger who try to execute those plans since they are weak and the weather were bad. Fortunately, on seventh day, they were found by local who look after for them. Locals know the accident by a turtle's skin which washed out by one of the passenger.

On the next years, Andi Rabiah had had enough with any obstacles she encounter during her duty. Leaking boats is a common problem, along with storm and unfriendly sea. But, she never give up or lose hope. She still devote and fight for the sake of people who need her.

She was called "Suster Apung" (Floating Nurse) since almost everyday for hours, even 2 days 2 night, Andi Rabiah sails to help anyone from a remote island who need her hands. Half of her age was spent to help local in remote island in Flores Sea, South Sulawesi

Andi Rabiah, "the floating nurse"

Since 31 years ago, she served in silence. When officials from Jakarta were busy with their campaign and boast on their success helping poor, Andi Rabiah struggle to help poor and locals in an areas where it's never covered by mass media. Sumanga, Saelo, satanga Kapoposan Bali, and Sapuka are ther remote islands which far the hustle bustle. a hustle bustle which created by government official who struggle to become a leader.

When the official "blabber" on mass media by talking nonsense, Andi Rabiah has give more than a half of her life for perpetual life of locals on remote island throughout Flores sea.


(to be continued.....)