Empowering Communities Through Education: Usrah in Action

Taking a break from their usual duties of aiding communities, two prominent Johor-based charity organisations, Yayasan Kebajikan Suria Kawasan Permas (Yayasan Suria) and Ihsan Johor, were recently invited to the Kulliyyah (Faculty) of Sustainable Tourism and Contemporary Languages at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) Pagoh Edu Hub for the 5th University in Action Symposium on June 13.

Yayasan Suria was represented by Founder and current Secretary, Mr James Ho, and volunteer Mr Lo Seong Loon, while Ihsan Johor was represented by its Chief Executive, Ms. Farrah Baptist.

Yayasan Suria and Ihsan Johor are both Sokong.org beneficiaries.

This marked Mr Ho's third appearance at the Symposium, having previously participated as a judge. This time, he handed over the judging responsibilities to Mr. Lo. "It was an honour to be invited again, but this time, I've passed the judging duties to Yayasan's volunteer, Mr Lo Seong Loon, while I sit in the VIP chair," said the affable Founder of Yayasan Suria with a chuckle.

This was Ms. Baptist's first visit to IIUM Pagoh. Ms. Baptist was particularly excited as the content of the presentations resonated with her passion for implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) promoted by the United Nations, which lies at the heart of Ihsan Johor's charitable mission.

"The SDGs, adopted by all UN member states in 2015, are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice," explained Ms. Baptist.

Joining Mr Lo and Ms Farrah as judges were Dr Nina Diana Nawi of RCE Iskandar, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and Associate Professor Dr. Lihanna Borhan, Director at the Office of Knowledge for Change and Advancement at IIUM.

Usrah in Action Programme

The Usrah in Action programme is managed centrally at the Gombak campus by the Sejahtera Centre for Sustainability and Humanity aimed at integrating sustainable development into the curriculum through community engagement. All three IIUM campuses—Gombak, Kuantan, and Pagoh—participate in this annual programme, which is essential for the students as it contributes to their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).

For Pagoh, the programme involved 16 groups of students working on various community projects. These ranged from educating children, including Orang Asli kids, to using technology to help elderly mosque congregants learn the Quran, urban farming, environmental care, and the health and well-being of the aged. Each project incorporated one or more elements of the 17 SDG goals.

Evaluating Impactful Projects

After the project, students presented to the judges and their peers at the Symposium, where they were evaluated based on subject matter selection, community profiling, research, project execution, data collection, and presentation skills.

Some of the standout projects included 'Jom Celik Membaca 2.0', which won the Most Impactful Project; 'Sustainable Cultural Heritage Through Interpretation Development', which took the Most Comprehensive Profiling category; and 'Go Digital Empowerment Orang Asli Lenga', which won a Silver Award. There was even a teaching French project called 'Le Soleil: Let's Learn and Shine Like A Sun' – highlighting the university's focus on sustainable tourism and contemporary languages.

SEJAJAR, focusing on environmental care and collaboration, won the Gold Award at the 5th Symposium, impressing judges with its issue identification, profiling, and proposed solutions.

A Contribution to the Future

With tremendous applause, Mr Lo announced that Yayasan Suria would contribute a grant of RM10,000 towards the Usrah In Action programme for 2024.

"We are absolutely thrilled with the tremendous efforts put in by students and lecturers! The grant is a heartfelt token of appreciation for their relentless dedication, continuous improvement, and perseverance," exclaimed Mr. Lo.

Real-World Applications

Ms Farrah Baptist, CEO of Ihsan Johor, elaborated: "The students conducted thorough needs assessments at the grassroots level and exhibited a keen awareness of local communities' current issues and challenges. They tackled their projects with maturity and sensitivity, as some focus groups needed care," she added.

Advice for the Future

The judges were given the floor to offer their opinions and advice to the participants and faculty members.

"I recommend that students integrate more information technology into their community projects as we rapidly advance into the digital age. Don't hesitate to collaborate with software developers who can create applications to enhance the impact of your projects," Lo suggested, who earns his living in the IT field and volunteers his time for Yayasan Suria's charity work.

Added Ms Farrah, "These Usrah projects have exposed students to the challenges communities face after the Covid-19 pandemic. The lessons learned will benefit them both as students and in their future careers."

She advised the students to take stock of what they learned through their experience with the communities and she hopes that they will continue serving the communities around them when they enter the workforce.

To donate to the Yayasan Suria, please go here: https://sokong.org/beneficiaries/yayasan-kebajikan-suria-kawasan-permas-johor-bahru

To donate to Ihsan Johor, please go here: https://sokong.org/beneficiaries/ihsan-johor

About Usrah In Action

It is a two-part course series at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), aimed at integrating sustainable development into the curriculum through community engagement. In "Usrah in Action I," students conduct community profiling and issue-mapping, presenting sustainable development project proposals. "Usrah in Action II" involves project planning and implementation based on these proposals. The courses transform community engagement from co-curricular activities to a core part of the university's formal education, fostering whole-community transformation.

What is 'Usrah'? The International Islamic University is an Islamic study circle that promotes the pursuit of knowledge and sharing life experiences in a more familiar and friendly environment.