Alhamdulillah, thank you to Allah. After 10 days been in Kabupaten Aceh Besar, Aceh; our representatives from PKPIM and GPTD who were invited by Yayasan Pembangunan Ekonomi Islam (YPEIM), have landed safely in Malaysia Royal Military Airport, Subang on 28th May 2005. They are Muhammad Suhail Ahmad and Mohd Haidir.
YPEIM was in a mission of distributing logistic needs and collecting data of Aceh orphanage who now study in ponpes (pondok pesantren). Our representatives had been divided into two ponpes for motivational programme led by International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) students.
They are three ponpes that they are focusing at namely Babul Maghfirah, Daruz Zahidin, and al-Falah. Meanwhile, ponpes Babun Najah is also included is it's a branch of Babul Maghfirah.
Most of tsunami victims (orphanage) were positioned at Daruz Zahidin which its population has increased from 50 santri (students) to 120 santri. Most of them are in SD (Sekolah Dasar = Sek. Ren.) and SMP aged between 9 to 16 years old.
Teaching English and Arabic is the main need by ponpes. The method of teaching by our reprenstatives and IIUM students were praised by ponpes teachers because it made students eager to learn and encouraged to speak up as well as remembering new words in a short period of time. Motivational games and songs are very attractive and effective way of learning.
A hope from ponpes teachers : Please make it as a long term project as to polish up the dignity of muslim community in Aceh which has been shadowed by the fear and tough-and-hard life. This should be started from Acehnese young muslim especially those who has nobody in their lives.
