Nabillah Sarawita, recipient of the Sumatra Orangutan Caring Scholarship in 2019, is in the Forestry Department at the University of North Sumatra. She provided this update:
During my time as a scholarship recipient, there have been many benefits that I have received, including my growing insight into animal conservation efforts in Indonesia, especially about orangutans.
In the 7th semester, I took 21 credits including 6 practicum credits covering Environmental Spatial Analysis Practicum, Landscape Ecology Practicum, Rare Plant Conservation Practicum, English Practicum, Forest and Land Fire Practicum, and Medicinal and Ornamental Plant Conservation Practicum. 15 SKS courses that included courses in Spatial Environmental Analysis, Landscape Ecology, Conservation of Rare Plants, English, Forest and Land Fires, Biopesticide Plant Conservation, Medicinal and Ornamental Plant Conservation and Proposal Seminar.
In addition to participating in mandatory learning activities on campus, I also participated in several off-campus activities to support my overall development as a student. Among them are as follows:
- Teaching: Because the school is closed, I do more activities around the house. One of my daily activities at home is to teach children around the neighborhood. I only teach 3-5 students, they are the children of my neighbors. Lessons start at 18.50-19.20 (Indonesian local time) and are held every Monday-Friday. This study activity is routinely done when I am at home.
- Forest Fire Research: On other occasions, I also participated in several research projects with campus lecturers. One of them is a forest fire research project around Gunung Leuser National Park and Barumun Wildlife Reserve. The only activity I did was a preliminary survey to check the location of former forest fires around the village.
- Drone Training: I also attended several seminars on drones. And Alhamdulillah, on a very special occasion, I got the opportunity to actually learn drones in person. The first drone training activities on the field organized by the IMC community really helped me to upgrade my skills in the field of mapping.
- Drone Seminar: After participating in drone training, the next activity was a seminar on drones held by HIMAKOVI USU. In this seminar, I was given the opportunity to guide the course of the event as an MC. In this seminar, the guest of honor still came from IMC, namely Mr. Zulfikar Mardiyadi.
- On-Site Mapping Using Drones: Lastly, after HIMAKKOVI succeeded with drone training events and drone seminars, on-site mapping using drones in Indonesia was carried out in the field. On this occasion, I had the opportunity to be part of the committee that helped the course of activities go very well. This activity took place at TOPDAM I Bukit Barisan Medan on 11-14 January 2021.
Hopefully, this pandemic will end soon. Thanks to OIC and OURF who always support students like me to continue their education in the midst of such conditions. Thanks also to the Sponsor-a-Student supporters who are helping to keep the Orangutan Caring Scholarship program funded.