UNAIR NEWS – World University Association for Community Development (WUACD UNAIR) is running a community service activity with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The activity aims to improve the quality of life of the people around the Kim Kim River, Malaysia.

Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) is sending 54 delegates consisting of lecturers in various fields of science. “We will not only make visits, but later, there will also be collaborations with UTM to provide solutions to problems in the Kim Kim community,” said Mega Moeharyono Puteri, drg PhD Sp KGA (K).

Kim Kim community problems

Kim Kim is one of the crowded industrial areas located in Johor, Malaysia. Thus, Kim Kim area faces environmental damage such as pollution and declining quality of health and life of the Kim Kim community.

Mega added that apart from environmental problems, there were problems from the large number of Indonesian migrant workers who were stranded in Johor. It is a crucial problem that must be resolved immediately.

“We are also working with the Indonesian Consulate General in Johor to discuss and provide solutions to these problems. We cannot say this is the right way, but this is the one way,” added the WUACD Coordinator.

Education quality improvement

The declining quality of children’s education is one of the impacts experienced by migrant workers. It happens because the children of these migrant workers are categorized as undocumented people.

One of the efforts is providing access to education for the children of Indonesian migrant workers. They have been provided with special schools and will be sent back to Indonesia for further education.

“We are working with Muhammadiyah schools that are willing to accept the children of migrant workers,” said Mega in an interview with UNAIR NEWS.

Program sustainability

This program is implemented to achieve Goal 1: No Poverty, and Goal 14: Life Below Water of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by improving water quality in The Kim Kim River.

“Later on, it will be a sustainable program continued periodically and become a form of UNAIR and Indonesia’s contribution in improving their quality of life,” she concluded.(*)

Author: Satrio Dwi Naryo Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia