Late last month, a team of students from the QIU Muslim Society, joined by volunteers from the youth-driven NGO MyFundAction, travelled to Titi Gantung, Perak, where several families were still recovering from the aftermath of the 2025 Southeast Asia floods and landslides. The severe November floods—part of a regional weather phenomenon affecting Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines—had displaced thousands and damaged homes across multiple states in Malaysia. Titi Gantung was among the many communities struggling to restore normalcy.
The trip, organised as part of the Muslim Society’s year-end outreach initiative, carried a straightforward objective: to offer manpower, comfort and compassion to families affected by the disaster. Yet by the end of the day, the programme had grown into something deeply meaningful—a shared experience of unity, resilience and cross-cultural cooperation.
A Team That Reflected QIU’s Diversity
One of the most heartening features of the trip was its diversity. Alongside Muslim students from various faculties were non-Muslim volunteers, who were accompanied by an international cohort of students, including participants from 8 countries, such as Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Maldives, Mali, India, Sudan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Malaysia. Some were close friends of society members; others were juniors who had quietly stepped forward. Their presence reflected the openness of the Muslim Society’s spirit in following the Islamic spirit of “enjoying good and forbidding evil” by collaborating with other religions to conduct compassionate actions that transcend race, religion and nationality.
Hands That Helped, Hearts That Listened
Upon arriving at the relief centre at SK Titi Gantung, the volunteers were briefed by local coordinators and quickly divided into teams. Their tasks were practical but essential: cleaning mud-stained floors, helping families move belongings back into their homes, and distributing food packages provided through MyFundAction’s aid channel.
Another team spent time entertaining children who were temporarily sheltered at the school, offering games, colouring activities and conversations to ease their stress. Many of the children had endured frightening days as the floodwaters rose, and a simple moment of laughter meant more than any volunteer expected.
Students later reflected on how grounding the experience was. Flood recovery is physically demanding, much of the help needed involved scrubbing, lifting, clearing debris and reorganising household items, but it also requires emotional attentiveness. Listening patiently to residents’ stories made volunteers more aware of the human and personal dimension behind every natural disaster statistic.
Learning Through Action: Holistic Education in Practice
For many participants, the outreach served as an extension of QIU’s belief in holistic education. As Miss Aimi Farina, lecturer and advisor to the Muslim Society, reminded the team, these programmes complement classroom learning by building character, empathy and leadership.
The presence of international students and non-Muslim volunteers illustrated the kind of campus culture QIU aims to foster, it was one in which students learn to collaborate across differences and recognise shared human responsibilities. Many volunteers remarked that the experience strengthened their understanding of community service as a universal value, not limited by religious identity.
A Reminder of Shared Humanity
Although the outreach mission lasted only a day, its lessons were lasting. Students returned to campus with a deeper appreciation for gratitude, resilience and collective responsibility. As the year draws to a close and Southeast Asia continues to recover from the devastating floods, the Titi Gantung initiative stands as a reminder that real change begins with small acts of kindness, and that unity can emerge even in the most challenging of times.
The QIU Muslim Society expressed heartfelt thanks to MyFundAction, all student volunteers, and the families of Titi Gantung for welcoming them with warmth despite their hardship.
