UMPSA treats the people of Dolokgede Village, Bojonegoro, Indonesia through the UMPSA Foundation's ASEAN Exploration Adventure programme

DOLOKGEDE, 16 November 2023 – 14 volunteers from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) together with 15 volunteers from Universitas Bojonegoro (UNIGORO), IKIP PGRI Bojonegoro and Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Sunan Giri (UNUGIRI) successfully completed the ASEAN Exploration Adventure programme in Bojonegoro, Indonesia.

The five-day programme involved an inland village located about 40 km from Bojonegoro city center known as Dolokgede Village.

According to the programme coordinator who is also a student of the Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Technology (FTKMA), Amanina Farhana Ahmad, this collaboration is a continuation of her almost eight-year good relationship with the Head of Ademos Indonesia, Mohammad Kundori.

"This good relationship has given birth to a national and cultural collaboration that builds close relationships between community members and the volunteers involved.

"The volunteers who camped for five days at the home of the adoptive family brought us closer to the hearts of the people of Dolokgede Village while learning their culture.

"The programme involves five clusters of activities, namely technology, community service, cleanliness and sustainability, education, and spirituality," she said.

The programme started with the signing of a cooperation agreement between UMPSA Foundation, Ademos Indonesia, Mannah Foundation, with three higher education centres in Bojonegoro namely UNIGORO, UNUGIRI and IKIP PGRI Bojonegoro.

In addition, a Malaysian Culinary Festival was held under the community service cluster involving the concept of 'rewang' (communal work) with sponsor partner ADABI.

More than 200 attendees also expressed their excitement to taste Malaysian cuisine.

A total of 300 packages of food cooked by Chef Irwan from ADABI with a menu of ghee rice (nasi minyak), chicken cooked in red sauce and preserved vegetables (acar) were distributed to the attendees.

Also held are health checks for the elderly, dental health and hand washing guides, academic exhibitions, street science, colouring competitions, sports, planting 1,000 saplings, installation of solar technology, introduction of prebiotic fertilizers, and a cultural exchange festival with the theme 'Medhayoh Eksplorisa Asean Malaysia' – Dolokgede'.

According to the Project Manager who is also a student of the Faculty of Science and Industrial Technology (FSTI) UMPSA, Fatin Najihah Mislin, they were surprised by the warm welcome and friendliness of the people of Dolokgede.

"We felt directly the meaning of medhayoh or visiting.

"In the context of the Malay language, medhayoh means village," she said.

Under the technology cluster, UMPSA carries out two activities namely the introduction of prebiotic fertilizers and the installation of solar technology.

A total of 100 bottles of prebiotic fertilizer samples which are UMPSA products were distributed to the surrounding residents during the academic exhibition.

UMPSA Senior Engineer, Ts. Mohd Nurulakla Mohd Azlan led the installation of solar technology in Dolokgede Village.

"The position of Dolokgede Village, which is flanked by two oil and gas companies, causes a high carbon emission rate resulting in an increase in ambient temperature.

"With the installation of solar which is a clean and renewable energy source, it helps in reducing the rate of carbon emissions," he said.

In conjunction with this programme, the UMP Foundation also contributed 50 sets of basic food kits, 50 sets of school supplies and 15 sets of prayer kits for community use.

More than 2,000 visitors attended the Cultural Exchange Festival held on the last day of the programme involving 37 Indonesian food stalls.

Also held are Indonesian cultural performances such as barongan, ludruk, sahitya tantra dance, maheswari and gaganeswara.

Malaysian volunteers also did not miss out on performing the Pahang dance.

The successful results of this programme open hope for volunteers from three higher education centres in Bojonegoro to be able to visit Malaysia.

A student at Bojonegoro University, Satrya admires UMPSA students for daring to do programmes abroad and hopes to continue this collaboration again and to be able to hold a return visit programme to UMPSA.

By: Nur Izzaty Fatihah Nazar, UMPSA Foundation

Translation by: Aminatul Nor Mohamed Said, UMPSA Career Centre (UMPSACC)