Volunteer Camp 2023 Story: High Compassion for Others Drives Mansur and Maulida to Become Volunteers

kisah kasih kemah relawan 2023

BANYUMAS, CENTRAL JAVA — “Being a volunteer is a divine calling,” said Mansur Sagran, a representative of Dompet Dhuafa Volunteer (DDV) from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), during the Volunteer Camp 2023 event at Baturraden Ecotourism, Banyumas, on Friday (24/11/2023).

A native son of NTT, he attended the Volunteer Camp 2023, organized by Dompet Dhuafa’s Disaster Management Center (DMC). Along with several colleagues from NTT, he represented his region to gain knowledge and strengthen relations through this event.

Volunteer Camp 2023 succeeded in bringing together volunteers from all over Indonesia, from Sabang to Merauke.

Baca juga: Hari Kedua Kemah Relawan 2023: Penuh Ilmu dan Kegembiraan

Mansur shared that the event provided an ideal space and time to enhance insight and skills to be applied when conducting social actions anywhere.

“Here, we learn about designing social activities, disaster response standards. There’s a lot of material and experiences shared here that I’ve never encountered before. I need this,” he said.

“We are given ample space here to express and learn about things we didn’t know,” he added.

kisah kasih kemah relawan 2023

Mansur further shared that he initially thought being a volunteer was somewhat trivial. However, this changed when he traveled far for a vacation and saw many communities in dire need of assistance.

“I’m not one for organizations or being in crowded places like this. I used to think it was all rather frivolous. But over time, as I traveled, I saw people in need (requiring help). So, during trips, we would also bring aid, like wearable used clothes or other assistance,” Mansur explained.

Mansur also recounted participating in social actions organized by Dompet Dhuafa’s NTT Branch. He witnessed the dedication and resilience of volunteers in assisting their needy brothers and sisters in remote areas.

Baca juga: DMC Dompet Dhuafa Gelar Kemah Relawan 2023, Perkuat Kualitas Relawan Indonesia dalam Penanggulangan Bencana

“I once joined a social activity with Dompet Dhuafa, traveling by sea for about 12 hours, by land for 4 hours, and using a small boat that, frankly, had a high chance of capsizing,” Mansur continued.

“We were in a location without electricity or signal, but there were (Dompet Dhuafa) volunteers willing to serve there. That was the most memorable experience for me,” he concluded, reminiscing about the intensity of that experience.

kisah kasih kemah relawan 2023

Moreover, Mansur also participated in emergency response actions for the Seroja storm disaster in NTT, alongside Dompet Dhuafa. Through this experience, Mansur’s curiosity and love for the world of volunteering and humanitarian work grew even stronger.

Despite this, some advised Mansur against his strong commitment to being a volunteer. As we know, volunteers are often unsung heroes who frequently sacrifice much to carry out social activities.

Hearing the above statement, Mansur simply replied, “As long as I can manage my time to help or dive into the world of volunteering, then sustenance (unexpectedly) will come. I don’t feel lacking at all.”

Baca juga: Gelar Kemah Tadabbur Alam, Dompet Dhuafa Ajak Para Relawan Mensyukuri Nikmat Allah

Unlike Mansur, Maulida Rahmawati from DDV Aceh shared that she had to convince her parents to allow her to participate in the Volunteer Camp 2023. This is understandable, considering the distance between Aceh and Central Java.

However, with strong conviction and enthusiasm to expand her horizons of knowledge, she was eventually permitted by her parents to undertake this short training at Volunteer Camp 2023. Initially, she thought it would be a formal event, tending towards boredom. But according to Maulida, it turned out to be a memorable event.

“This activity is not as simple as I thought. It turns out to be very beneficial. The materials provided here are very useful for us as volunteers,” she explained.

kisah kasih kemah relawan 2023

A new member of DDV Aceh, Maulida found it memorable when DDV Aceh took orphaned children to learn while recreating at tourist spots never before visited by these children.

The sheer joy and laughter of the children touched Maulida’s heart, making her grateful to be part of this activity. It was a proud moment to bring warm smiles to the innocent and cheerful faces of those children.

Moreover, she also participated in distributing aid after the earthquake that hit the Cianjur area. It was her first experience with emergency response, and she found the conditions on the ground to be much more intense and pressing when she saw many people in Cianjur still in need of help.

At that moment, Maulida understood that disaster response always requires serious dedication and commitment to helping others, ensuring aid reaches the right people.

“I once went down to Cianjur to distribute aid through fundraising at the campus. In Cianjur, my friends and I distributed basic necessities. I felt a bit sad seeing our brothers and sisters there,” concluded Maulida.

Both Mansur and Maulida are just a few of the volunteers who participated in the DMC Dompet Dhuafa Volunteer Camp 2023. They traveled far to Java Island to seek knowledge and skills to help others more effectively. May this be a good intention and motivation for all volunteers in Indonesia to remain committed to volunteering and assisting others. (Dompet Dhuafa/DMC/AFP)