By Farradiba
Could you imagine in just one night, your house doesn’t look the same anymore? There’s thick mud everywhere, your cabinet cannot be used anymore, all your clothes get dirty, your vehicle is out of service, perhaps you lost the things you treasure the most, important gifts from someone.
A number of states in Peninsular Malaysia was hit by floods and flash floods in the last few days, following a sudden heavy downfall, displacing thousands of people and causing widespread devastation. How are these people going to survive?
The cleaning operation of the aftermath flood is never easy!
Many people have shown empathy, worry, and a sense of obligation to assist as a result of this disaster. Following updates on social media, we have seen a large number of people from various agencies and organisations putting their lives on line for flood victims, with people of all races working together to provide aid and assistance, as well as a large amount of support for a crowdfunding campaign that was launched.
Not having that much money to give aid to the victims as students, let’s give ourselves to the community, let’s contribute our time and energy to the community.
While this may seem self-evident, the fulfilling part of volunteering extends beyond what you may expect. Volunteering should be about assisting people in need first and foremost. Believe it or not, you would also derive some joy from assisting someone in lessening their burden.
It’s really a satisfying experience, and students may even discover a new perspective on their own challenges. It is eye-opening to be there at the site rather than just watching videos and television news or reading about the situation in online media.
Furthermore, student engagement helps to build awareness of charities and to disseminate information about their activities to the public. The vast majority of students are more competent at navigating social media than anybody else, and by capturing photos and allowing their friends to keep up to date of the progress of their philanthropic efforts, they also assist to raise awareness of the issues.
Not only that, volunteering provides students with a wonderful opportunity to network with and meet new people. Despite the fact that networking is not usually the first advantage that comes to mind when people decide to work for a cause, it is an extremely valuable one.
It doesn’t matter what your experience or skill is like; you’re all here to work towards a shared goal to improve the lives of those who are supported by the organisation. You will be able to establish relationship with everyone present, and this networking may potentially have an impact on your future employment.
My recent experience in volunteering at one of the most affected places in Dusun Tua, Hulu Langat, to assist the community in cleaning up their home, has inspired me to encourage more students to engage in the forthcoming flood relief mission, which would require volunteers.
Here are several guidelines and advice I would like to share in case you would be engaged in volunteer works to assist with the situation.
When you have made up your mind to volunteer to assist flood victims, it is important that you prepare yourself both psychologically and physically.
You need to make a change to your intention. While serving as a volunteer, you are committed to help the community rather than for the sake of social media attention.
Another important consideration is consent. If you desire to photograph the area of the home that has been seriously damaged by the flood, you must first acquire permission from the property’s owner.
Apart from that, you should take good care of yourself by making sure you are not infected with COVID-19 virus, as we do not want to be the source of the disease spreading across the community.
Make sure to stay hydrated and to keep your hygiene in check.
From the students back to the community, volunteer yourself now. ***