Community Service Students Transform Quiet Al-Quran Education Centre at Baiturrahman Mosque with Craft Activities and Film Screenings
YOGYAKARTA — Each day, dozens of travellers pass through Baiturrahman Mosque in Pandeyan, Sleman. Some stop only to rest, perform ablution, or complete obligatory prayers before continuing their journey. The mosque is never silent from the footsteps of worshippers.
However, beneath this constant flow of visitors lies a quiet concern. The Al-Quran Education Centre (TPA), which was once bustling, has steadily declined. Only between nine and fifteen children attend daily, though they remain enthusiastic.
Mosque caretaker Fadlun Amin acknowledged the challenges facing the TPA are not straightforward. He explained that the mosque’s urban location meant it was surrounded by other mosques and prayer halls. “Everyone opens a TPA, so the children are naturally divided. Moreover, the children here generally come from affluent families. Their schools already provide comprehensive facilities, including religious education,” he said during an interview at Baiturrahman Mosque on Saturday, 28 February 2026.
It was into this situation that three community service students from ’Aisyiyah University (UNISA) Yogyakarta arrived. Rather than serving the passing travellers, they came to nurture the handful of children still faithfully learning at the mosque.
Beyond Basic Quranic Study
TPA instructor Khansa acknowledged that activities had previously been conducted as a matter of routine. “We simply recited Iqro’ and the Quran. There was nothing else,” she said during a coordination meeting on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
Dian Astri, head of the UNISA community service programme at Baiturrahman Mosque, saw this as an opportunity. She believed the children needed activities to maintain their interest. “The TPA activities have been quite basic. Therefore, we tried to incorporate stories of the prophets and handicraft activities. We hoped this would make the children more eager to come to the mosque,” she explained during a TPA session on Wednesday, 18 February 2026.
From this idea emerged simple programmes. Children were taught to make beaded bracelets, wire key chains, colour pictures, and watch films about the prophets’ stories.
Ayunta, a parent of one of the students, expressed gratitude for the arrival of the community service students. She said her child now had additional activities beyond Quranic recitation. “I think this is very positive. Children who previously only recited the Quran and left now have craft activities after their lessons, bead stringing, and colouring. The Quranic material is also deepened through ablution practice and daily prayers. The change is quite significant. The children have become more creative and enthusiastic about learning because the older students teach patiently,” she said while collecting her child on Monday, 9 March 2026.
Collaboration with the TPA Instructor
TPA instructor Khansa Mujahidah Nur Hanifah expressed her satisfaction at collaborating with the UNISA community service students. She felt their presence brought fresh energy to the daily activities. “I am pleased to work with the UNISA students. The activities have become more varied. The children are more enthusiastic about reciting the Quran because of prizes and mini quizzes. They have also become more creative after learning handicraft. There are also practicum sessions on ablution technique. During those 25 days, everything was filled with positive and beneficial activities,” Khansa said at Baiturrahman Mosque on Monday, 9 March 2026.
She also observed improvements in her students. “They have become more attentive to their older sisters. Their public speaking skills have improved; they are braver about leading short surahs and answering questions. Their competitive spirit has also been awakened,” she added.
Beyond the TPA, the UNISA community service students also helped revive Ramadan activities. They regularly participated in predawn Quran recitation and evening prayers in congregation, and even distributed food parcels to passing travellers.
Mosque Caretaker Hopes the Programme Will Shield Young People from Social Media
Mosque caretaker Fadlun Amin expressed gratitude for the presence of the UNISA community service students. He believed they helped enliven this year’s Ramadan. “Alhamdulillah, I am very pleased. The presence of the UNISA students contributed significantly to the Ramadan 1447 H celebrations, especially among women and children,” he said at Baiturrahman Mosque on Sunday, 8 March 2026.
He hoped the community service programme could help society, particularly young people, better understand the impact of social media. According to him, social media is one reason young people are reluctant to visit the mosque. “My hope is that more people will join the mosque community. I want people to understand and be protected from the negative effects of social media. That is one of the factors why young people nowadays rarely visit the mosque. I hope that through the community service programme, we can help provide understanding to society and young people about the damaging effects of social media, which greatly influence social life,” he said.
That evening, as the time for sunset prayer approached, the TPA children were still busy organising the beads from their creations. Their laughter echoed through the mosque’s veranda. That sound may not have carried to the road outside, not as loud as the noise of passing travellers’ vehicles. However, to the hearts of the community service students, that laughter was another call to prayer that they did not wish to extinguish.