Ini Warisan Kita: YSS Student Volunteers Venture Into the Cradles of Malay Culture in Kedah and Kelantan

Kedah and Kelantan, cradles of Malay culture, whisper tales of bygone eras. Kedah, with more than 2.19 million people and rich historical significance dating back to the 4th century, relies on agriculture, tourism and manufacturing as its driving economic forces. Kelantan, with its strong adherence to Malay traditions and Islamic virtues, is blessed with captivating coastal plains, dense rainforests, and unique arts and cuisine.

Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa (YSS) embarked on its first-ever journey into the retrospective of Malaysia’s ancient kingdoms through “Ini Warisan Kita”: Student Volunteer Mission to Kedah and Kelantan 2024. Over a two-week stay, 63 student volunteers gained valuable opportunities to mingle with local communities and experience the livelihood of residents across five selected locations. In Kedah, 31 student volunteers were spread across Kampung Luar, Kampung Lubuk Legong, Kampung Malau and Kampung Binjul Luar, while another 32 volunteers ventured to Kampung Batu Papan in Kelantan.

Projects and activities held throughout the mission included digital transformation and community empowerment with young learners in Kampung Lubuk Legong and Kampung Binjul Luar, a Pap smear and health screening programme in Kampung Malau, organic waste management into compost for agricultural activities, installation of road reflectors in Kampung Batu Papan, and academic material contributions to kindergarten learners at Tabika Kemas Nur Kampung Batu Papan.

The Orang Asli community in Kampung Lubuk Legong was also empowered with a mental health screening and awareness programme aimed at safeguarding overall peace of mind and body while diagnosing early signs of psychological disturbance — one of YSS’s goals for well-rounded community development. Coding logic and basic Arduino introductions were among the digital transformation projects undertaken by volunteers in Kampung Binjul Luar.

The mission concluded with an extensive 765 hours of volunteering effort, with more than 160 community-level projects devised that benefitted almost 30,000 people across the five villages in Kedah and Kelantan.