As agents of change, students should actively contribute to solving social problems. Mingling with society is essential for them in order to understand social life.

To get engaged in resolving community issues, Governmental Study Student Association (KOMAP) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) organized Social Day 2017 under the theme of ‘Budaya Berbagi Guna Mengabdi Negara’ (Sharing for Serving the Nation). Conducted on Sunday (15/10) at Bangen, Baungjiowo, Kasihan, Bantul, the Social Day was a part of Gebyar Government 2017 consisting of Tabligh Akbar, Futsal Se-DIY and Closing Ceremony held in Sportorium of UMY.

“The Social Day is a program to implement one of the three principles of higher education (Tri Dharman Perguruan Tinggi), namely community service,” stated Reza Muhammad Nashir, Chief of the Social Day 2017.

He informed that participants of the community service was followed by Governmental Study students of batch 2017 and it aimed to raise students’ awareness of community issues. “This is a small program of community service,” he said.

In the Social Day, students shared ideas of how to a neighborhood, organized a bazaar with low price, and created creative programs for each neighborhood in Bangen. Indeed, profits of the bazaar will be used for the development of Bangen. “We will utilize the profit to buy materials such as cement to repair road,” he told.

Reza also asserted that, before carrying out the social day, the committee observe the village and met the head to ensure that it was a targeted village. In fact, Bangen possesses a high poverty rate.

He expected the social day could be a stepping stone to coin a monitored area to be assisted to develop. “KOMAP of UMY wishes that out social activities such as social day could be a beginning to create the monitored area,” hoped Reza.