Helping People in Need, UMKT to Send Emergency Response Community Service Team to Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra

umkt.ac.id, Samarinda – Universitas Muhammadiyah Kalimantan Timur (UMKT) officially dispatched its Community Service Emergency Response Team to Aceh and West Sumatra on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. The ceremony, held in the General Sudirman Building (Building G), was attended by Ghazali, Vice Rector of Research, Innovation, Downstreaming, and Community Service Affairs, along with the head of the community service team, deans, department heads, and members of the UMKT academic community. The send-off was marked by the ceremonial handover of vests from Mr. Ghazali to a team representative, symbolizing the university's mandate and the responsibility entrusted to the volunteers tasked with serving in disaster-affected areas.

Scheduled to run from December 19 to December 30, 2025, the mission involves 12 members from various disciplines divided into two groups, departing on December 17 and 18. The team will perform critical tasks, including establishing emergency medical posts, providing trauma healing for affected communities, organizing emergency schools for children, and distributing essential supplies such as food and clothing. These efforts are designed to address the urgent physical and mental health needs of communities across the affected provinces while ensuring educational continuity in the region.

The severe storms and floods that struck Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra caused not only significant financial and infrastructural losses but also deep psychological and societal scars. Such conditions demand collaboration from all institutions; for UMKT, this mission is more than an institutional obligation—it is a tangible manifestation of empathy and humanitarian compassion.

In his opening remarks, Ghazali emphasized that this initiative is spearheaded by the Faculty of Medicine, which was appointed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (MoHEST) as one of 66 medical faculties in Indonesia involved in the national emergency disaster response program. This appointment reflects the immense trust placed in UMKT and highlights its commitment to playing an active role in disaster relief. Ghazali asserted that community service is a core pillar of higher education, and the team's presence is expected to provide a meaningful contribution felt directly by the local residents.

Furthermore, Ghazali urged the team to uphold UMKT’s dignity, maintain unity, and prioritize each other's safety throughout the mission. With a spirit of communal humanitarianism, UMKT remains committed to disaster response efforts, underscoring the strategic role of higher education institutions in addressing the most pressing social and humanitarian challenges in society.

Author: Raisha Azzahro

Photographer: Raihana Adhwa

Translator: M. Rafly Raihandy