Nurul Fathira Anisa Jimali, 28, said her interest in community activities stemmed from a curiosity about the realities of life outside of her circle of family and friends.

“I first developed an interest in volunteer work while still in school, and became actively involved in it during my university years,” she told Bernama.

“From the start, I didn’t just want to travel to see the outside world. I wanted to understand how others here lived and the challenges they faced.

“To that end, I began seeking opportunities to volunteer through Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa under the higher education ministry.”

Nurul Fathira said she was profoundly affected by the pandemic in 2020, when many people lost their jobs and struggled to make ends meet.

“In 2021, I encountered a family earning only RM30 a day as manual labourers. The father was supporting small children, elderly parents, and a disabled family member, all while living in a cramped and bare house,” she recalled.

“The children did not choose to be born into such circumstances. So, as individuals capable of making a difference, we had to help them get access to better opportunities.”

Nurul Fathira added that the experience taught her the true meaning of responsibility. Inspired to do more, the science graduate joined Persatuan Kebajikan Bantuan Komuniti Terpinggir Sarawak (Bantu Sarawak) four years ago.

She said Bantu Sarawak, an organisation that helps marginalised communities in the state, provides a broader platform through which young people such as herself can contribute to society.

To her, volunteerism is more than just about distributing food or cash. It is also about helping to pave the way for skills development, especially for those in rural and marginalised communities, so they can break the cycle of hardship and poverty.

Nurul Fathira, a Kayan-Malay, said being involved in volunteer work and interacting with people of various backgrounds has helped her appreciate the real meaning of patriotism and the importance of unity in Malaysia.

“We acknowledge that prejudices still exist, but when we sit together and help one another, those prejudices fade. We begin to see each other as human beings, not defined by race or religion.

“As long as inequality and oppression persist, the true meaning of independence remains incomplete,” she concluded.

Learn more about Bantu Sarawak on Facebook.