Preserving Culture Abroad: UMS Students Introduce Traditional Indonesian Games to Migrant Children in Malaysia
In an increasingly digital world, children are spending more time behind screens and less time engaging in physical, cooperative play. This challenge is even more pronounced for children of Indonesian migrant workers living in Malaysia, who often face barriers to formal education and cultural connection. To address this, a group of forward-thinking Indonesian students took a creative, hands-on approach to bridge the gap. Recently, mahasiswa KKN Internasional (international community service program students) from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) conducted a heartwarming cultural initiative at Sanggar Bimbingan Kelana Jaya in Malaysia. By introducing traditional Indonesian games, these students did more than just provide a day of fun; they reconnected young diaspora children with their ancestral heritage and offered valuable social-emotional learning opportunities. This article explores the significance of this program, the educational power of play, and the broader impact of i...