News and pictures by Asmahanim Amir

BANDUNG, 27 February 2017 – Bandung, Indonesia has been selected to be the venue for the upcoming ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme 2017 (AYVP), which will be held in August.

That location was selected because Indonesia is situated within the Ring of Fire which and are often inflicted with natural disasters such as an earthquake.

UKM Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Industry and Community Partnership, Prof Dato’ Dr Imran Ho Abdullah said there is a good strategic partnership between UKM and Institute Technology Bandung (ITB).

“The strong collaboration is rooted in the strength of the ASEAN University Network, of which ITB is also a member,” he said at the Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Agreement between UKM and ITB, here, recently.

He said for the 5^th edition, a total of 50 ASEAN youth will be selected and they will stay in Bandung for four weeks.

“For the first and fourth week, all the volunteers will attend a workshop at ITB, while in week two and three, they will be placed with communities in Desa Lembang, Kabupaten, West Bandung, an area very close to the earthquakes.

“At Desa Lembang, the volunteers will do the community programme which will see them implementing DRR activities with the community and security agencies,” he said.

ASEAN youth who are interested to be a volunteer (aged between 18 and 30 years old) can apply through AYVP’s website at www.ayvpukm.com.my http://www.ayvpukm.com.my.

The closing date is on March 30.

This programme is supported by the ASEAN Secretariat, Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia and wi; be funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).