UMP students gained valuable experience on Cambodia’s social culture during a humanitarian mission in the country

By: EMMA MELATI BURHANUDDIN, FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING & EARTH

       RESOURCES (FKASA)

Ten Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) students from Faculty of Civil Engineering & Earth Resources (FKASA) and Faculty of Chemical & Natural Resources Engineering (FKKSA) took part in the 2018 Cambodia Asean Mobility mission commenced on November 30, 2018.

The community service programme gave them the opportunity to learn about the social culture of people in the country.

The programme was organised by Department of Student Affairs and Alumni (JHEPA). It was aimed at fostering closer ties between the participants and the global community, sharing of technology and knowledge as well as to enhance the students’ interpersonal skills.

Programme director Ahmad Firdaus Ahmad Asri said they went to Chnang village, one of the Islamic settlements and that the trip was very heartening.

“The village was located some 130km from city centre and that it was a bit behind in terms of development.

“Most of them still relied on wells and water pumps for clean water supply. The madrasah and surau lacked a lot of things and needed better necessities so it could be a more comfortable place.

“Programmes such as this can help instil the spirit of togetherness among the community. A lot of activities were organised that would help make some improvements in their lifestyle,” he said.

“As for UMP students, they too gained some benefits as these activities helped to enhance their personality and strengthen their teamwork,” he added.

He said when everyone got to experience a common problem, it made them more understanding, compassionate, tolerable and aware that not all people got to enjoy good wealth that led to one feeling very thankful of what they had enjoyed all this while.

“We organised various community activities with the villagers and distributed Al-Qurans, booklets of the Surah Yassin, book racks, telekungs, praying mats and cash contributed by UMP staff as well as 30 solar lamps,” he added.

They also visited the Al-Falah Madrasah in Phnom Penh where they spent some time teaching educational stuff to 60 students aged between seven and 16.

Posters with information about the university and about life in campus were distributed so they would have some ideas about tertiary education.

The UMP students also visited the Norton University which was Cambodia’s first private university.