Becoming a doctor is the answer of most children when they are asked what they want to be when they grow up. One of those children who succeeded in realizing his dream was Mohammad Rifki Hulalata or Rifki. His journey to become a doctor was not as beautiful as his dream, as there were so many obstacles and struggles that Rifki had to go through to get the title of doctor.
Rifki was born 23 years ago, in Gorontalo, North Sulawesi. His father is a laborer who is willing to do any type of work to keep his children in school, while his mother is a laundry worker and household assistant. Who would have thought, that from such a humble family, Rifki would grow up to be a bona fide doctor.
Rifki told us a story from when he began his education at his elementary school. “Back then, during the first day school, there was a meeting of the parents of the students. The children wore uniforms and shoes, but I was the only child who didn’t wear shoes. I never had shoes until I was in 2nd grade, so I went to school wearing sandals, “He said when interviewed by Kevin Hendrawan on his Youtube channel.
In addition to going to school without shoes, Rifki and his family members must be willing to share the 4×4 meter space they call home. The house, which is the same size as a room in a boarding house, is not properly supplied with electricity, so the future doctor had to study with a kerosene lamp. Even so, his enthusiasm for learning has never faded at all. Rifki always learns and tests himself regardless of the difficulties he encounters, because Rifki’s parents have never experienced the world of education. “I used to learn by myself, every time I came home from school I always repeated the lessons that were explained earlier. If there are difficulties, I try to find out myself. I was never tutored like most kids at that time. I couldn’t even buy a notebook, so to learn to write I took whatever paper I found on the street, such as advertising paper. I also learned to read from the writings on the street, because my parents couldn’t teach me how to read, ”said Rifki, remembering his past.
God will always provide his blessing after every test for His servants. Rifki grew up in a very poor family, but Rifki’s career in the world of education is the very opposite of his life. Rifki completed his education from elementary to tertiary education with a scholarship without spending a dime on education. Rifki’s intelligence and persistence in learning delivered him step by step through proper education. In addition to being smart and diligent, Rifki is also very devout about his worship so that God always makes it easy for Rifki. “After graduating from high school, I registered for SNMPTN (University Entrance Exams) at several universities with a Department of Biology and Medicine. At that time I passed the Biology major, then came an offer to study from the Islamic Religious College where I also registered and passed. So at that time I was confused about which course to take. When asked for my mother’s opinion, she was a little pessimistic because she was worried about costs. So I prayed for guidance from Allah, and unexpectedly the next day a guest brought a file containing a full scholarship offer to study at the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, “Rifki said with a happy face.
The doctor never thought that he would have the opportunity to study at one of the most well-known campuses in the city of Yogyakarta. It is undeniable that Rifki felt insecure when he saw the lifestyle of his college friends. When all of his college friends used smartphones, Rifki was still loyal to his cellphone which was only able to send short messages. “My friends’ cellphones are already smartphones, soI feel inferior because I also have to be able to find out information that can only be seen with a smartphone such as class schedules, class scores, etc. I had the courage to ask my parents to buy a cellphone, but they said they didn’t have enough money for that. Well, I can’t help but pray. I told Allah, and again, Allah’s help always comes on time. 3 days later I was given a cellphone by my lecturer. Not only that, my lecturers gave me a laptop and bicycle for free and I am very grateful for that,” he said with a grateful face.
However, Rifki still has to look for additional money to support himself. Because he used to help his parents as a child, Rifki used his skills to increase his pocket money. Rifki went to college with donuts which he would sell. Rifki used the money from selling donuts to meet his daily needs. When asked about his time management during college while selling, Rifki’s answer was quite surprising. Rifki said that he went to college from 07.00 to 17.00. After that he made donut dough to be sold the next day, after the donuts were finished he would continue to study which usually starts at 21.00 to 24.00 then Rifki rested, the next day he always woke up in the third of the night to worship and continue with studying until dawn, And so on. Rifki is currently undergoing a trial period at Tjitrowardhoyo Purworejo Hospital.
“I want to become a real doctor because I have bad past experiences. In the past, my father was sick with kidney failure which required dialysis, but he was refused by the hospital because we had no money. Starting from that experience, I made a commitment to become a doctor. And Alhamdulillah, now my dream has almost come true, ”Rifki answered when asked why he chose to become a doctor
At the end of his interview, Rifki shared a message for people who may have dreams but are hindered by economic conditions. “We should never hesitate to start something, Allah will always provide a way. I also never thought that I could get a scholarship. I also want to remind all my friends who receive the scholarship to not complain, because scholarships are a mandate that must be fought for. The point is, we must always try our best and leave the results completely to God, ”he concluded. (Dea)
