The second day of the IIUM Disability Grand Awareness kick- started with the ‘Walk and Roll: Fundraising Walk and Exercise with Persons with Disabilities’ event last Friday.
Nearly 200 students from various clubs and kulliyyah gathered at the Hamzah RA Male Sports Complex for the flag-off ceremony.
Proudly organised by the IIUM Ibn Umi Maktum Club (I-MaC), the awareness campaign aimed to create awareness among students on the situations and conditions faced by the IIUM disabled community.
I-MaC was founded in 2012 by brother Muhammad Fadhlullah bin Sharuddin together with his friends.
The main objective of the club is to cater to the welfare of the disabled community in IIUM and to instill the values of responsibility, courage and love as shown by one of the Prophet’s companion – Abdullah ibn Maktum.
Sister Nur Afifah binti Anuar, Head of I-MaC’s Volunteering Unit, expressed her hope for the campaign to be successful in creating a more hospitable and integrated IIUM society that is supportive of disabled persons.
Deputy Rector of Student Affairs, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mizan Hitam was present to flag-off the walk. Participants made their way from the sports complex toward the IIUM Business Compound.
Many walked with some opting to have a first-hand experience on the wheelchair while others made their way on bicycles. The ambulance was on standby throughout the 30-minute walk in case of any emergency.
The closing ceremony was then held at the Business Compound which included bazaars and performances from Akronym and a special poetry recital by Langit Ilahi columnist, Ameen Misran.
Prof. Datuk Dr. Mizan Hitam was again in attendance and gave his speech mentioning the small yet significant scale of the event. He said that this effort was parallel to the Qur’an’s mention of disability in Islam that can be found in Surah Abasa.
He also added that the next step is to work the plan that has been put forward. “We have planned the work, now it is time to work the plan,” he said.
The role of social media was also highlighted as he encouraged students to use the media as an effective tool towards promoting this cause.
The closing ceremony ended with the recitation of salawat led by Prof. Datuk Dr. Mizan Hitam.