Mataram, University of Mataram — For communities rebuilding after a disaster, recovery is not only about restoring what has been damaged. It is also about ensuring that they do not have to navigate difficult times alone. This spirit shaped the efforts of students from the University of Mataram (Unram) as they worked alongside communities affected by the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), providing assistance while supporting recovery efforts on the ground.

Unram students contributed through a range of humanitarian actions, from distributing donations and conducting learning activities with children in Gapung Village to helping construct shelters for affected communities. For the students, each activity became an opportunity to be present, listen, and understand community needs firsthand in the aftermath of the disaster.

In Gapung Village, for example, students organized learning activities with children to help them maintain their enthusiasm for learning, playing, and growing despite the limitations caused by the disaster. Through shelter construction, meanwhile, they helped provide spaces that communities could use throughout the recovery period. These efforts demonstrate that post-disaster support extends beyond material assistance, encompassing education, solidarity, and the restoration of everyday community life.

This experience was later brought to the Initial Mapping and Initial Consolidation for the Preparation of the Impactful Student Activities under the Student Aksara Program, held at the Universitas Katolik St. Paulus Ruteng disaster response post in Manggarai on Thursday (27 August 2026). The event was part of a visit by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Brian Yuliarto, Ph.D., to disaster response posts in NTT.

On the occasion, Yoga Alhamid, one of the Unram students, was given the first opportunity to present a report on the humanitarian activities carried out by the Unram Student Executive Board (BEM) Humanitarian Volunteer Team in Lehot Hamlet, Ndiwar Village, Lelak District, Manggarai Regency. Speaking before the Minister, Yoga brought firsthand experiences from the field while demonstrating how humanitarian action can become a meaningful part of students’ learning journeys.

The moment was more than a formal activity report. The experience students brought from the community illustrated the broad role higher education can play in service and humanitarian response, particularly when students’ knowledge, skills, and energy are directed toward addressing community needs during times of crisis.

The same spirit was reflected by Rahmiatun Aulia, a student of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Unram, who was selected as one of the students to read the commitment to accelerate post-earthquake recovery in the presence of the Minister. Her participation symbolized students’ role not only as volunteers responding to immediate needs, but also as active contributors to a shared commitment to accelerate the recovery of affected communities.

Before the humanitarian mission concluded, the volunteer team took part in several activities with local communities and government authorities, including a traditional farewell ceremony, the construction of a commemorative monument, and a final send-off at the main district command post. Their engagement with district officials, village authorities, and community members became an important part of a journey that brought students together with those working collectively to sustain the recovery process.

For Unram, the experience reflects the spirit of Impactful Students, where learning extends beyond the classroom. By working directly with communities, students learn to understand complex challenges, communicate across different contexts, work under difficult conditions, and recognize that knowledge gains its greatest value when it can create meaningful benefits for society.

From the assistance delivered and children returning to learning, to shelters built and experiences shared before the Minister, the journey of Unram students in NTT carries a simple but meaningful message: humanity is a real space for learning. In that space, students do more than come to help. They grow alongside communities and take part in their journey toward recovery and renewal.