UNAIR NEWS – Students of Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) who are awardees of the Bakti Nusa Surabaya scholarship collaborated with Rumah Kepemimpinan (RK) Regional Surabaya to organize a literacy program titled Book Venture: Fun Learning Edition. The program was intended for orphans and underprivileged children from the Child Social Welfare Institution (Lembaga Kesejahteraan Sosial Anak – LKSA) Muhammadiyah Medokan Ayu, Surabaya.
The activity, held on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, involved 20 school-aged children living in the LKSA dormitory. The program was designed as an effort to introduce literacy through an interactive and enjoyable learning approach, allowing children to experience a different way of learning.
“This activity aims to provide a different learning experience for orphans and underprivileged children while fostering a culture of literacy from an early age,” Zahra said, a student of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) UNAIR and a beneficiary of the Bakti Nusa Surabaya scholarship.
Interactive literacy education
The series of activities began in the LKSA Muhammadiyah Medokan Ayu dormitory hall with a literacy education session delivered by two speakers, Kamila from Bakti Nusa and Ryan from Rumah Kepemimpinan. They presented the material through visual presentations combined with educational games such as quizzes and word-arranging activities.
This approach was applied to encourage active participation while creating a fun learning atmosphere. The children appeared enthusiastic in participating in the various activities prepared by the facilitators.
“We want to show that reading can be a fun activity. Through games, children can more easily understand the importance of literacy in daily life,” Zahra said. After the session, participants took a break and performed the Asr prayer together at the dormitory prayer room before continuing to the next activity.
Book selection experience and reflection
Participants and organizers then headed to Gramedia Bookstore Manyar using a combination of public transportation (minibus/angkot) and the dormitory’s operational vehicle. Upon arrival, each participant was given the opportunity to choose books independently. Facilitators from Bakti Nusa and Rumah Kepemimpinan accompanied them to ensure that the selected books were not only interesting but also educational.
Ahead of iftar, participants and organizers continued the activity by breaking the fast together. The program concluded with a reflection session at a mosque in the area of the Surabaya Sanitation and Green Open Space Agency.
“Each child wrote down the reasons for choosing the book and expressed their future aspirations on sticky notes,” she concluded. Through this activity, participants are expected to become more motivated to read and pursue their dreams.
Author: Dheva Yudistira Maulana
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
