Rural development volunteers from the Muslim Student Club, Prince of Songkla University (PSU), under the advisory of Asst. Prof. Dr. Kasetchai Laeheem, PSU Faculty of Arts, brought 120 students to the Ban Pa Fang Mosque community, La Ngu, Satun province, on May 20-31 2015. With the support of local authorities and raised donations from the Muslim Student Club, a project fund of 296,836 Baht was created to erect a school building, educate about health and drugs, promote agriculture and distribute seed stocks. In addition, a household cleaning campaign and entertainment activities were organized to improve the relationship between students and local villagers.
Presidents of the PSU Muslim Student Club Ms. Prapawadee Krabmai and Mr. Arief Huddullah (3rd year students from the Faculty of Natural Resources and Faculty of Engineering, respectively), explained the concept behind the rural development camp: "do not focus on institutions"; a principle applied since the club's foundation in 1978. Regarding the activity, they pointed out that it is a great opportunity for Buddhist and Muslim students to gain first-hand knowledge about local issues from different cultural perspectives, while also getting valuable experience working as a group. In addition, the presidents noted, these students will be more open to the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Thus, this community service event not only enhances the relationship between academic and rural communities, but also promotes the university's positive image and makes PSU Muslim Student Club a recognized name in local Muslim communities.
