ACCOMPLISHED VOLUNTEERS: THE FLOOD RELIEF MISSION IN KELANTAN

Due to the floods disaster that have adversely affected Kelantan early January 2015, many volunteers made their way to the state to lend a variety of aides whether physical or financial in shape. The same goes with ISDEV. Answering the call by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to its staff and students to join the flood relief mission as USM Volunteers was seen as a golden opportunity that was not to be missed by 11 ISDEV students who voluntarily participated in the mission.  

The second batch of USM Volunteers - seated in front are three representatives from ISDEV,
Nur Inani (right), Lenny and Ade Yunita (centre and 2nd from left respectively).

Three students, Lenny Luat, Ade Yunita and Nur Inani Ismail joined the second batch of USM Volunteers for the flood relief mission in Kelantan. They were off to Kelantan on 7 January 2015 together with another 92 volunteers comprising mainly of USM Main Campus staff.

For ease of accessibility - lorry is the most efficient way to get to the schools which are off the main road.

Upon arriving in Kelantan, the three of them felt suffocated when they saw the aftermath of the disaster that befell the population concerned. However the spirits to give help never fade and without wasting time they immediately continued their way to Sekolah Kebangsaan Ladang Kerilla, Tanah Merah and quickly proceeded with the cleaning and sprucing up task at hand.

Collecting rain water to help with the cleaning process.

The three of them were involved in cleaning the remaining mud and dirt that was left behind by the floods. They toiled tirelessly from morning till late afternoon to ensure that the school is clean, safe and ready for the new school term.

Cleaning works in progress.

As Lenny, Ade and Inani, took their journey back to USM from Kelantan on 9 January 2015, the third batch of USM Volunteers were sent to Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Sam, Kuala Krai. This third batch of USM Volunteers consisted of eight ISDEV students - Siti Nor Ain Mayan; Sofyatul Azlyn Shariffuddin; Norhidayati Nadiha Mukri; Syaidatina Siti Aishah Ab Aziz; Siti Romilah Mat Yajid; Nooramira Ghazali; Norhazriah Mohamed @ Ismail and Norazira Ali.

They were given the task to clean and get the school ready for the new school term too. Cleaning this school proved to more challenging as they need to ensure the entire school and the school equipments were totally cleaned. The bleak furniture belonging to the school had been washed away by flood water and inevitably landed in an empty space nearby. The cleaning up was a daunting task as limited water resources were available. Indeed these tasks tested the students' physical and mental prowess. 

Gathering the furniture in one place before cleaning them all.

According to Ade Yunita who joined the second batch, even she felt  a sense of suffocation to witness the effects of such disasters as this was her first experience although 10 years ago her own country, Indonesia, was struck by the Tsunami. At that time she was not able to be a volunteer as she did not have a chance to be directly involved in helping the victims as she was pursuing her studies. She was grateful for the opportunity to join this flood mission as the lessons she learned and the self-reflection she made to witness with her very own eyes the Power and Will of Allah S.W.T provided her with the resolute belief that for verily if Allah S.W.T ordained for something to happen, then it will happen and no force can stop or question the event. According to Ade, all that can be done is to remain patient, persevere and steadfast to the test sent by Allah S.W.T.

The eight ISDEV students - from right to left  - Syaidatina Siti Aishah; Noramira; Sofyatul Azlyn; 
Siti Romilah; Norazira; Siti Nor Ain; Norhidayati Nadiha and Norhazriah.

In the meantime for Norazira Ali, who loves to be involved in humanitarian mission, the experience of being in Kelantan has uplifted her spirits more in the cause of humanitarian activities. Norazira who had joined the humanitarian mission to Gaza in December 2012 described such experiences as those that could not be obtained anywhere. All these experiences have  made her to be a more grateful person and constantly appreciative with what she has. She always remind herself to avoid being proud of all the ‘rezeki’ (sustenance) that Allah S.W.T has given as she believes that all those ‘rezeki’ should be shared with other creatures of Allah S.W.T.

Hopefully the experience of these 11 ISDEV students can inspire other ISDEV members to willingly come forward and sign up as volunteers. It is hoped that ISDEV students will not miss the chance to join any humanitarian mission not only for self-interest, but also for the sake of helping other fellow human-beings as well as getting the insights and find the beauty of Islam amidst adversities as achieved by these 11 USM Volunteers from ISDEV.