Pekanbaru (CatraMedia.com) — Universitas Persada Bunda Indonesia (UPBI), located on Jalan Diponegoro No. 42, Pekanbaru, held a humanitarian initiative titled “UPBI for Sumatra” to support communities affected by flooding in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. The initiative involved student representatives from three faculties: the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), the Faculty of Letters, and the Faculty of Computer Science (Fasilkom). The students involved are from the Student Executive Board (BEM) of FEB and the English Literature Students Association (ELSA) of the Faculty of Letters. The university’s leadership, lecturers, and staff also gave their full support to this effort.
The fundraising activity took place over four days, from December 4 to 7, 2025, with students collecting donations at four major traffic light intersections in Pekanbaru’s busiest routes: the Gramedia Intersection, the Governor’s Office Intersection, the Gajah Mada Intersection, and the Diponegoro Intersection. Students carried donation boxes and banners encouraging the public to help the victims in Sumatra. On Sunday, December 7, the fundraising continued at Car Free Day (CFD) on Jalan Sudirman, which was crowded with residents exercising.
The action received a strong and positive response from the public. Many motorists and pedestrians contributed donations and offered words of encouragement to the students. One resident, Mr. Tri, expressed his appreciation. “I’m glad to see young people being active like this. I hope the donations reach the victims safely, especially in Aceh,” he said while handing over his donation.
Zarni, the committee chairperson and the head of the Social and Community Department of BEM FEB, said public enthusiasm was obvious throughout the four-day activity. “Their response was very positive, and it’s clear that people care deeply about what is unfolding in Sumatra.”
She added that the initiative’s main goal was to demonstrate student solidarity with disaster victims and to provide tangible support through direct action. “We hope the donations collected can help meet the victims’ needs and serve as proof that UPBI students care and are ready to step in when the community needs us.”
Despite facing several challenges, such as unstable weather and heavy traffic that required adjustments to collection points, the committee managed to overcome all obstacles through strong teamwork and effective communication.
As of Monday, December 8, 2025, the organizing committee had collected a sum of money and several boxes of clothing. All aid will be distributed through the National Amil Zakat Agency (BAZNAS) Riau, as part of UPBI’s collaboration with the authorities to ensure proper and accurate delivery. The committee is currently finalizing the total donations before sending them to the affected areas, including Aceh and North Sumatra, which is the primary distribution focus.
In addition to street fundraising, UPBI also opened a clothing donation post on campus, which will operate until December 12, 2025. Community members can still contribute by donating directly or by transferring funds, as informed through the faculty’s official Instagram accounts, @fastra_upbi, @feb_upbi, and @fasilkom.upbi.
UPBI’s Vice Rector II, Dr. Hj. Rahmi Zainal, S.E., M.Ak., stated that the initiative reflects the university’s commitment to supporting disaster-affected communities in Sumatra. “This activity is a manifestation of our concern for our brothers and sisters who are facing hardship. It is also our moral responsibility as an academic community,” she said.
She also expressed appreciation for the efforts of students from BEM FEB, ELSA Fastra, and Fasilkom. “We truly appreciate the hard work of the organizing committee. Alhamdulillah, a significant amount of donations from the academic community and the public have been collected,” she added.
Dr. Rahmi emphasized that UPBI aims not only to produce academically excellent students but also young people who embody empathy and humanitarian values. “We want to develop students who are not only intelligent but also compassionate and collaborative,” she said.
She expressed hope that the donations collected would help ease the burden of disaster-affected communities. “May this assistance help alleviate the difficulties faced by our brothers and sisters,” she concluded.
The UPBI for Sumatra initiative demonstrates that humanitarian awareness is not merely a discourse but a real action carried out by students and the university. The committee and the entire UPBI academic community hope that this spirit of solidarity will continue to grow, encouraging more people to contribute to the ongoing donation program. Donation channels will remain open until the designated deadline, and UPBI reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that all aid is safely and accurately delivered to disaster-affected residents in Sumatra.
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