UNAIR NEWS – “Kindness is different from a virus, when we are infected with kindness, we have to transmit it so it becomes seeds that will grow and we can reap later,” said Wahyu Setyo Putro on Sunday, August 9, 2020.
Met at the Indrapura Field Hospital in Surabaya, Wahyu was wearing a white shirt, trousers and sneakers. He is a student majoring in Indonesian Language and Literature (Sasindo), Faculty of Humanities (FIB) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) class of 2017.
Since studying in Surabaya, Wahyu has shown sensitivity to the community. In the second largest metropolitan city after Jakarta, he began to learn many things, especially humanity. Wahyu is determined to help others.
“In 2018 I volunteered for the first time in Palu earthquake and tsunami. It was a very memorable moment, then I started to become active as a disaster volunteer and even join the missing people search on Mt Arjuna, ”said the young man from Rembang Regency.
Since June 2020, Ksatria Airlangga Floating Hospital (RSTKA) has been a place where Wahyu develops and pours all of his youthful energy to help others in the 3T (disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost) area. For Wahyu, choosing to volunteer is part of his life history.
However, it cannot be denied that his social life has had an impact on his academic sustainability. From his confession, Wahyu once missed a semester exam because he was a disaster volunteer.
“Alhamdulillah, I was given the opportunity to take a follow-up exam, I am sure it was a blessing from Allah for the activities I participated in,” he said.
Wahyu is currently doing a volunteer activity at Indrapura Field Hospital in Surabaya, he is trusted as a coordinator deputy for patient companion. Then, in April 2020, he and his friends founded a donation group called Ksatria Swadaya Pangan which was intended for migrant students trapped in Surabaya.
“Everyone has felt the impact of this pandemic, starting from losing their jobs, losing businesses to losing their families because of Covid-19. Sadly, the circulation of hoaxes also results in community stigma for Covid survivors and medical personnel, ”explained the 21-year-old youth.
From this issues, Wahyu realized that education and assistance for the community were very important. As a student of Sasindo, he applies his rhetorical knowledge to educate and persuade patients to society to remove the stigma.
The most memorable experience during his volunteering was in Lombok, after the earthquake. He witnessed the trauma suffered by the children he met, resulted in fear and panic.
He described when he was about to return home, the children’s cries made him feel uncomfortable. As a result, Wahyu decided to reschedule his leaving and accompany the children until they recover from the trauma.
“At that time, it was extremely frightening, because there was long aftershock that caused the electricity to go out,” explained Wahyu, who is also keen on mountaineering.
For Wahyu, being a volunteer is not an excuse to leave his studies, but more as an opportunity to apply knowledge during college by engaging in society. “Be an excuse for others to smile, kindness is not weakness, but extraordinary strength in a sincere heart. Make your God smile for the good you have done, “concluded Wahyu. (*)
Author: Muhammad Wildan Suyuti
Editor: Feri Fenoria Rifa’i
