Halal Bihalal is an Indonesian tradition in which family, friends and loved ones gather together to have a quality time in order to strengthen the bond among them. VDMS RRs decided to conduct a series of Halal Bihalal involving all RRs conducted their gathering in their own RR in August.

RR Ambon

Reported by Abdul Maskur Marasabessy, VDMS Grantee from Patimura University (UNPATI), Ambon

            RR Ambon conducted the Halal Bihalal as a private gathering on Saturday, 6 August 2016 at Patimura Park. It was attended by 6 people; Aqul, Jenesis, Tahsa, Manda, Susan and Vally. They decided to hold the next gathering at UNPATI.  Excited about it! Learn, Share and Encourage.

RR Central Java (Semarang)

Reported by Naili Rohmah, VDMS Alumna from State University of Semarang (UNNES)

RR Semarang held the Halal Bihalal on 12 August 2016 at 4 – 7 PM WIB. 20 people consisted of 2 alumni and 18 grantees were present.

We opened the event by greeting and forgiving each other for our past mistakes as we just celebrated the Idul Fitri just a few weeks before. On the occasion we also continued the discussion about our Environment Project Semarang (EPS) which was discussed previously using WhatsApp. We hope to implement EPS to increase the awareness of clean environment.

RR Yogyakarta

Reported by VDMS Office

Last Saturday, August 13 2016 – RR Yogyakarta held the HALAL BIHALAL and EVALUATION MEETING with the theme: “MERAH PUTIH IS MY PROUD”

Dress code: Red and White

Attended by 9 alumni, 3 grantees, VDMS Office Manager and 1 VDMS staff.

We implement the Program Mengajar in the orphanage since May 2016, thus it is about time to evaluate the progress, the effectiveness and how far we have reached the objective.

Agenda:

1.The evaluation regarding the following:

–       Program Mengajar in the orphanage

–       English practical lesson in Gua Cemara (for local community)

2. Replacement of RR Yogyakarta chairperson

3. Lunch with “Lebaran” menu – prepared by VDMS AA tea

4. Next program

Ad 1

The project of Program Mengajar is slightly slow down after Lebaran. To solve this problem, we decided to replace the team member with the other students such as those from Sanata Dharma University.

It is hoped that in the 3^rd week of August the activities will be run well again as usual.

 The English practical lesson in Gua Cemara will be stopped for a while due to the resignation of Siti as the coordinator and chairperson of RR Yogyakarata. She is going to leave for Sweden this September to continue her study sponsored by LPDP. GOOD LUCK FOR SITI! HAVE A GREAT SUCCESS AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST!

Ad 2

In regards of the abovementioned circumstance, Nofriadi Daniel Umbu will be in charge as the new chairperson of RR Yogyakarta while there will be no change for the Treasurer and Secretary positions.

Ad 3

The team of VDMS Alumni Yogya together with VDMS staff prepared a nice lunch with “Lebaran” menu: Sambal goreng kentang/ati, tempe, Opor Ayam, and Sayur Santan Labu Siam.

It was a wonderful time!

Ad 4

Next programs

1. Improving our teaching skill, etc. in order to create a more conducive learning environment for students so they will be happy to learn with us.
2. Our Plan in the Orphanage

• Making an appointment to meet their parents in the Orphanage
• The meeting will discuss about the students learning progress.

1. Our plan in Pantai Gua Cemara

• Discussing about providing an English translation for “The History of Turtle Conservation” with the Community in Gua Cemara
• Crafting furniture made of spruce roots

Other plan: organizing study tour for students from SD and SMP to some companies. We will send a proposal to the company, which we want to visit and arrange everything beforehand.

RR Jabodetabek – West Java

Reported by Milla Sejahtera VDMS Alumna fron Nusa Cendana University (UNDANA), Kupang

RR Jabodetabek – West Java held the Halal Bihalal on Saturday, 13 August 2016 at 11.00 a.m. 4 alumni were present. They were Annisa Ika Tiwi, Ikhsan Ardiansyah, Mikael Dian Teguh and Milla Sejahtera.

On that occasion we shared stories on jobs, daily lives, and alumni activities. We also discussed about AA VDMS Jabodetabek-West Java. We realized that there are still some programs that we haven’t implemented yet since the Big Bang event in Bogor. After evaluating ourselves, we reached a conclusion that due to our responsibility at work it will be still difficult to conduct any new activities for a while ahead on our own. Thus, we decided to join Terminal Hujan, the activity that Ikhsan and other IPB alumni are currently involved with.

Terminal Hujan is one of the facilities that provide extra class on Sundays in Bogor for grade students as well as high schoolers. Ikhsan suggested us to join him teaching the students in Terminal Hujan whenever we have time. In this way we will not only do good deeds for the students but also have the opportunity to meet the other alumni and strengthen our network. The next step that we will do is to list those who want to join the program as teacher.

RR East Java – Bali

Freedom of the Misuse of Drugs together with Friends of Recovery Plato’s Foundation

Reported by Abdullah Mahri, VDMS Grantee from Hang Tuah Univerist (UHT), Surabaya

Drug rehabilitation is a process to help someone recover from drug addiction. The aims are behavior changes and healthy condition in order to function normally in society. After the rehabilitation, patient is usually suggested to join further recovery program such as vocational training. One of the foundations that offer this kind of recovery program is Plato Foundation at Jl. Tambang Boyo No. 154, Surabaya. Those who have finished their rehabilitation at Plato Shelter will undergo a recovery process in this place.

Coinciding with the celebration Indonesia Independence Day, Plato Foundation held a flag ceremony and some competitions. At 07.30 a.m., the ceremony was conducted by the Plato Foundation along with the VDMS team. At 09.00 a.m., we helped staff of the Plato Foundation to prepare for the competitions and prepared a gift for each branch of competition. We also joined the competitions such a kerupuk eating contest, inserting-a-nail-into-bottles competition, balloons competition, etc. The alumni and grantees of VDMS competed with the staff of Plato. Closing the activity, we put our signatures and notes on the wall of fame that they have.

At 12.00 a.m., we announced the winner and give them the prizes. We also had a sharing session in which we introduced them to VDMS and its history. The overall event was carried out well.

The guideline of the activity was as follows:

1. The theme of the activity:

“VDMS and Plato’s Recovery Foundation: Embracing Freedom from Drugs Abuse with Plato’s Friends”

2. Date and Time: August 17, 2016 , 7:30 to 12:00 a.m.

3. Participants of VDMS alumni and grantees were 3 alumni (Talitha, Nathalia, Annisa) and 3 grantees (Ila (UNAIR), Abdullah Mahri (UHT), and Romayta (UHT)). There were 4 Non-UNUSA volunteers, and 35 people from the staff and Plato’s friends.

4. Plato Foundation is a charitable foundation that provides services for drug addicts, people with HIV / AIDS, women and children affected by drugs, HIV, sexuality and related issues, children and adolescents with problems of social deviations, organizations and institutions engaged in education and empowerment.

RR Medan

Reported by Desy Monica, VDMS Alumna from University of Sumatera Utara (USU), Medan

Began from Program of Alumni Association of VMDS to implement Halal Bi Halal at every regional all over Indonesia during on August 2016 and related by preparation of 16th Regional Meeting which will be held in Medan on next November, AA of VDMS RR Medan did not want to miss to coordinate Halal Bi Halal VDMS RR Medan on August 13, 2016 at Biro Rector USU Park. This event was attended by 13 Grantees and Alumni from USU and Unimed. Some grantees could not attend due to semester break until early of September.

This meeting was preceded by suave between grantees and alumni, everyone sharing their experience at their college. Next discussion was followed by sharing about preparation of 16th Regional Meeting at Medan which was getting closer. Every grantees enthusiastically looking forward to this event. This activity will be held on November at Unimed and along with this event will be organized Social Activity by Alumni Of VDMS Medan at Orphanage which will be supported by AA of VDMS all over Indonesia. Some grantees appointed to choose the best Orphanage for this activity. We also discussed what kind of activities will be undertaken to build family bond among grantees, alumni and children’s orphanage.

RR Banjarmasin

Reported by Rizky Amelia, a VDMS Alumna from Lambung Mangkurat University

We are the seventh RR that had a Halal Bihalal one on August 2016. What is halal bihalal actually? Halal bihalal is a meeting for reconstructing the human relationship and for doing good as well as pleasing things. Taking a look at the purposes of halal bihalal, the active alumni and grantees of RR Banjarmasin Adhi Surya, Witri Loviyanti, and Rizky Amelia contacted the PIC and informed the alumni as well as grantees to attend the halal bihalal of RR Banjarmasin with the theme “Let’s meet and get closer”.

The halal bihalal itself was carried out on August 21, 2016 at 4 p.m. at Taher Square. There were two alumni (Maria Densi and Rizky Amelia) and four grantees (Adhi Surya, Witri Loviyanti, Misna, and Noor Ika H.). As has been discussed in the A2A article entitled “If Many Doesn’t Work, a Few Might Work”, we still keep going with these people while still encouraging others to join us building network in RR Banjarmasin.

On this halal bihalal, a few things were discussed. The rundown of the halal bihalal is as follows:

1. Getting closer amongst VDMS alumni and grantees.
2. Getting closer to VDMS (sharing about VDMS RM, LC, and asking each grantee to attach VDMS brochure on their study program wall magazine as a form of socialization of VDMS scholarship).
3. Making quotes cards and envelopes. This activity was done while we were getting closer each other. We made as many envelopes as we could and wrote some quotes, then put the quotes in the envelope.
4. Reviewing what we had conducted for instance teaching at orphanage, buka puasa bersama, Online Sharing on whatsapp (twice), and monthly contribution payment of every grantee to the treasurer.
5. Planning further positive activities by listing it.
   1. We will join Iradio sapu bersih on Sunday, August 28, 2016 at Menara Pandang Banjarmasin. Since planning our own activity might take a long time, we prefer to join this activity first in order still keep in touch and build emotional feeling among VDMS alumni and grantees. In addition, this is more executable.
   2. We are going to have a sasirangan visit. Sasirangan is a fabric originally from South Borneo. By having this activity, alumni and members can get closer and hopefully have more feeling of togetherness. We planned to have this on September.
   3. Charity for poor old seller around. We found an old granny who sells cakes. We would like to help her by collecting money for her and buying what she sells. This is also on September.
   4. We finished the quotes and envelopes and each of us took one. Some of us admitted that the quote was fit with what they felt. Witri Loviyanti, for instance, got a quote “THE WAY TO SEE A RAINBOW IS TO LOOK THROUGH RAIN”.
   5. We had a photo session.

Every one of us put a big hope that RR Banjarmasin members get closer time to time. However, no matter how hard to invite others, we will still try to make them get involve. If, then, they cannot come, we will go on with what we can do for surrounding despite of our limitations. We know one thing.

“DO WHAT YOU CAN, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, WHERE YOU ARE”-Anonymous-

A2A E – Newsletter Vol. 53 | VIII | 2016