UNS – Damara Putri Wardhana is a student of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta who currently conducting her community service program (KKN) COVID-19. The student of Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) UNS conducts education on COVID-19 for residents in the LotteMart area, Bhayangkara Road, Tipes, Surakarta, since May 2020. Aside from the KKN COVID-19, she also helps the residents in her neighborhood.
During the KKN COVID-19, Damara is not only educated the grown-ups but also approaches the children. Not without reason, the children in her neighborhood environment are still playing together outside the home as usual without using a mask and an appropriate understanding of COVID-19. Although the vulnerable group of COVID-19 is elderly, children have more difficulty implementing health protocols to protect themselves from COVID-19 and remain at risk of contracting to COVID-19.
“In my neighborhood, there are two circles. In the front is classified as a fortunate society. Very fortunate instead. There, no children leave the house, maybe the education given by their parent is sufficient. This differs from the community reside near the river, around this area the children keep playing outside the house. Not many of them go to school and know what COVID-19 is. If there is a lacking in schooling rate, indeed the knowledge on this virus certainly needs more education,” explains Damara to uns.ac.id.
Initially, the student of Guidance and Counseling Education (BK) class of 2017, planned to take on the theme regarding “Education” for her KKN program. However, after conducting an assessment and coordination with the head of the Neighbourhood Association (RT), Damara chooses ‘Supporting Community Understanding’. In its implementation, education is started with a simple action such as visiting resident’s houses while distributing masks. From this simple action, there are many problems finally known by Damara.
Regarding the response and support from the resident as well as the RT, Damara states that the action she does receive support and welcome. Provided, that the efforts made are in the form of real action that is immediately executed on the field.
“So far, I am well supported. However, if it is not direct action, for example via online it is indeed difficult. Thus, the support is given if we did something, they are welcome and are willing to learn,” she said.
The support for Damara also comes from one of the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) Surakarta members, namely Rony Kamtoro. Together with Rony, Damara conducts a disinfectant spray to the residents’ house and its surrounding environment, which planned to be carried out routinely at least twice a week during the pandemic.
When asked regarding her next program, Damara mentions that she wants to invite the residents to learn a Clean and Healthy Lifestyle, especially washing hands. She also wishes to educate them about the benefit of herbal medicine and persuade them to drink herbal medicine as an effort to maintain body immunity in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I also use the media provided by UNS to prepare a poster, banners, and many other, to break of COVID-19 transmission. There is also a distribution of groceries but at my own initiative and expense. All from UNS is focused on education,” Damara adds.
Not only field activities, but Damara also share educative information to her more than 5,000 Instagram followers. This includes photo and documentary videos of activities with the resident as a means to share a story with the netizens regarding the process of her community service and of the many lectures she gains from the process.
Further, to uns.ac.id, Damara states that she lean many things from the KKN COVID-19 program. That even in an urban region, there are many community needs that must be fulfilled. She realizes that the role of students who could participate in dealing with various problems in the community. Not forgetting, through her social media uploads, she invites the citizens to become movers in the surrounding environment through simple things, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“So, indeed, there are many things that we can pay attention to and care about in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. How to raise a concern, sympathy, and empathy. Taking care of ourselves is not enough, we must also consider other people and those around us. Knowing what they really need,” Damara concluded. Humas UNS/Kaffa
