Curtin Volunteers! embark on community service project for rural communities

Miri – 8 October 2010 – The Curtin Volunteers! Sarawak Chapter of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) are organising a ‘John Curtin Weekend’ community service project to bring support and relief to rural communities surrounding Miri city this month.

The project, which will be carried out over two weekends on 9 October and 16 October 2010, will cover six different locations and involve 172 volunteers from the university community. This project will run concurrently with John Curtin Weekend activities being conducted by the Curtin Volunteers! at Curtin’s main Bentley Campus in Perth, Western Australia.

“The John Curtin Weekend is the Curtin Sarawak Curtin Volunteers!’ largest and longest-running community project. We have the largest group of volunteers this year with 172 participants registered,” commented University Life Manager Haslina Malek, whose department oversees and supports the activities of the Curtin Volunteers!.

Haslina said the experience the John Curtin Weekend offers is unique. Students and staff get to experience community service the Malaysian or ‘gotong-royong’ way, and at the same time, enjoy the hospitality and cultures of longhouse and village communities in the area.

University Life Officer Ansovinus Chai, who is an advisor to the Curtin Volunteers!, said, “The John Curtin Weekend is a great blend of both reaching out to the community and experiencing its rich culture for the staff and students of Curtin Sarawak. Being in its fourth year running, we are looking forward for more John Curtin Weekends to come.”

He added that the aim of the project this year is to reach out the rural communities by contributing through community work and educational sessions targetted mainly at the teenagers and children of the communities, to educate them on the importance of their studies and general hygiene.

The Curtin Volunteers! will also be heading to the communities with donated items such as clothes, toys and books collected through their recent Used Item Collection Campaign.

The communities to be visited are Rumah Nelson, Rumah Genethan and Rumah Nunong in the first weekend, followed by Rumah Randi, Rumah Linggi and Kampung Beraya in the second weekend.

The volunteers will consist of all segments of the Curtin Sarawak community, from students to academic and professional staff.

This annual project was initiated in Australia by the Curtin Volunteers!’ main chapter in Perth and now spans the entire Australian continent and for the last four years, been adopted by Curtin Sarawak as well.

Curtin Volunteers! at work.

The sharing of community hospitality and cultures.