The existence of the Cooperative, eventually given the name “Warung Mitra” (Partner Shop), was designed to help the employees of the Budi Rahayu Pekalongan Hospital. Such savings and loan cooperatives began in 2007. The province helped by providing start-up funds. The cooperative assists employees with their children’s daily needs and the cost of their children’s education. With the cooperative Warung Mitra, the employees do not need bank loans with very high-interest rates.
On September 15, 2018, the Hospital Foundation lent a small room in the hospital for the cooperative Warung Mitra. Initially, they only provided loans in the form of money, but now they have gone one step further by providing necessities such as rice, sugar, oil, noodles, eggs, wheat flour, several kinds of milk, and drinks. Warung Mitra’s customers are not only Budi Rahayu Hospital employees, but also teachers, employees from the community of the sisters, the Sisters themselves, and those who accompany sick families. All are delighted with the service and feel helped.
To expand the ability of the Warung Mitra cooperative to serve more customers from different groups, the Saint Joseph community gave place which was a garage to be renovated and used as a place of business for the Warung Mitra. The location was very strategic because it was close to the highway and close to the Budi Rahayu Hospital parking lot. After completion of the renovation, on November 15, 2021, the new room was blessed by Fr. Fransikus Assisi Teguh Santosa. Three staff members are responsible for the cooperative Warung Mitra. They are Sr. Maria Franselin, Doctor Jefli Mandala Putra from the hospital management development, and Miss Lilywaty, the treasurer of the Santa Maria Pekalongan foundation. Two employees assist them to serve customers and provide goods.
During the Covid situation, the employees and Sisters found that Warung Mitra is more helpful because they don’t need to shop outside. They can simply contact the staff of Warung Mitra and send a list of the items they need and then pick the items up before the Cooperative closes in the evening. Payment transactions for all the Employees of the hospital, community, or schools’ staff are made at the end of the month after they receive their salary. The perceived difficulty is finding goods at low prices, but quality remains a priority.
We hope that cooperative Warung Mitra will continue to develop and meet customers’ needs as well as be ready to reach out even further. Soli Deo!
by Dreamhost