PENANG, 22 April 2014 - Two Board of Directors members of the Student Volunteers Foundation (YSS) is continuing the YSS tour to institutions of higher education, this time to Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to share its mission and vision of volunteerism.

They were former national Student Representative Council, Wan Ahmad Hazman Wan Daud and VarsitiBH 2013 Perdana Ikon award winner, Mohd Hafiz Ariffin.

Wan Ahmad Hazman said that YSS was established in 2012 with the aims of producing iconic volunteers, coordinating the activities of volunteerism, helping the local communities that are in need and involve in community services locally and abroad.

He said that YSS also plays a role in promoting Malaysia as an education hub that produces global volunteers and are committed to promoting world peace by fostering camaraderie through community service within and outside the country.

“YSS was established with a clear mission and vision. Students are encouraged to participate in YSS because it offers an experience that is invaluable that you cannot find anywhere,” he said, describing each volunteerism mission promises a different, but exciting experience.

Among the experiences shared with over 200 USM students who turned up for the session were the community programmes carried out in two villages in Vietnam which were generally impoverished.

He said that through the aid of such community service, volunteers are not only able to serve to reduce the burden of the villagers but at the same time be able to reflect upon and feel the pain of those who are crushed by poverty.

“In our mission to places that are relatively less developed, our volunteers felt a challenge, including living with the host family, eating the same food and doing activities with them.

“Indirectly, we can experience life and appreciate what Malaysians have achieved in comparison to those living in less developed countries,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Hafiz said that in the mission of volunteerism, the impact can only be felt and shared with others when one knows and understands the things that are done.

He said that by committing to becoming a volunteer, a person has already shown that he or she is different from others and is willing to help anyone who is in need.

“We often hear the word volunteering and volunteerism, but not many people really understand what it means. It is important to understand because, if not, we are just repeating what other people do, and would not learn anything in the end,” he said.

The two members who have conducted many volunteerism programmes locally and overseas, also shared the experiences of conducting community programmes such as the Green Summer Volunteer Campaign 2013 in Vietnam, the Mission to Help Flood Victims in Johor and Cameron Highlands, and several others. - Translation: Yong Check Yoon/Text & Photo: Marziana Mohamed Alias ​​