Enviro News Asia, Jakarta — Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta (UPNVJ) has distributed single tuition fee (UKT) assistance to 31 students affected by flash floods and landslides in Aceh, West Sumatra, and North Sumatra. The assistance, totaling Rp 148,902,000, is intended to ease the financial burden following the disaster, which claimed 1,030 lives and damaged 146,758 houses as of December 15, 2025. Through verification of students’ domicile and the direct impact of the disaster, the program ensures the continuity of their studies. The handover took place at the UPNVJ Rectorate Building, underscoring the university’s commitment to humanitarian response since late November 2025.
One of the recipients, Shalsabilla, an undergraduate student of Communication Studies, experienced a landslide in Sumatra that buried her family home up to the roof, rendering it uninhabitable. The situation threatened her ability to continue her studies, but the UKT assistance from UPNVJ has given her hope to remain focused on her education while her family recovers. A similar experience was shared by Amla Sarani, an undergraduate Management student from Central Aceh, who lost a family member reported missing due to floods and landslides, while her family home suffered severe damage. This support has become a source of moral strength, enabling Amla to look toward her educational future amid grief.
Their stories reflect the wide-ranging impact of the disaster that struck 52 regencies, leaving around 7,000 people injured and 206 missing, and damaging 219 health facilities. UPNVJ verified beneficiaries through domicile data and impact reports, ensuring that the assistance reached students from faculties such as Economics and Business, Law, Health Sciences, Social and Political Sciences, and Engineering. This program is part of the university’s responsive policy, complementing earlier initiatives, including the deployment of volunteer teams to Aceh. (www.upnvj.ac.id)
