Volunteers Story: Starts Volunteering, UPH Student Wants to Continue Working for Humanity

Starting from being a volunteer at Wahana Visi Indonesia, Maria Fryna Angelica Andris did not want to stop working for humanitarians. The student of the International Relations study program with a concentration on Corporate and International Security at Pelita Harapan University is aware that after doing #AksiDariHati with WVI, she still wants to do more for vulnerable groups, especially children and women.

“I want to encourage gender equality starting from the youngest group, children, and try to empower them by developing their potential through education. Protecting children from various dangers that lurk and assisting them in honing their potential. Reach every child who is experiencing structural, sexual, physical, emotional abuse and recover from them. Resurrect them and leave the existing trauma behind,” said Maria telling her passion for the humanitarian issue.

Maria wishes that women can come forward and get the same treatment and opportunities as men. She wants to humanize humans with the knowledge and abilities she has.

Maria knows very well that her passion for humanity grew after she became a volunteer in the Support Office Liaison (SOL) unit of WVI. After joining this unit in May 2021, Maria is increasingly understanding many things about humanitarian work. In her volunteer activities, Maria helped develop fundraising proposals, studied program development for WVI service areas, and described them in written form so that the program could be clearly understood by foreign donors.

“I feel useful and there is the growth going on while doing my part as a volunteer at SOL. I feel I have developed my potential in writing, expressing opinions, and critical thinking. Besides that, I also broaden my horizons in various things, of course in the world of children, such as child health and protection,” said the woman from Bitung, North Sulawesi.

She says that humility, compassion, and ambition are the things she can describe WVI. She feels that she has found a partner in her passion for the welfare of children's lives.

Maria advised that anyone who has the desire to volunteer should not be afraid to start.

“For those who yearn to move to serve children and communities outside your area but are confused because there are limits during a pandemic, there is no need to worry. Joining a WVI volunteer is the answer. Believe that no wasting effort in serving and reaching out to others. In being a volunteer, you are honed and growing,” she concluded.

Written by: Putri ianne Barus, Communications Officer, Wahana Visi Indonesia