Volunteers: The Meaning Behind a Word

What is a volunteer? Who are they? And why does someone choose to become one? According to the Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI), the word relawan refers to its standard form, sukarelawan, defined as: “A person who does something of their own free will (not because they are required or forced to).”

More broadly, a volunteer is a person or group of people who consciously devote their time, energy, thoughts, expertise and even material resources for the benefit of society, the environment or a humanitarian mission—without expecting financial gain or material reward.

For us, the simplest way to put it is this: relawan comes from the words suka (to like) and rela (to be willing to sacrifice). This means a volunteer must genuinely like carrying out their good intentions and must be willing to make sacrifices for others.

A true story from Aceh Tamiang

This story comes from Bang Julian Putra, a pioneer and the CEO of the Bulan Sabit Merah Indonesia (BSMI) clinic in Aceh Tamiang. I only came to know him whilst serving as a medical volunteer there.

As an eye specialist (Sp.M) travelling together with a colleague specialising in dermatology and venereology (Sp.DVE/Sp.KK), our initial intention was simple: to be present and provide direct healthcare services to communities in the worst-affected areas.

By the end of June 2026 (around 27–28 June), the area had in fact entered its recovery phase. Yet upon arriving at the location, we could truly begin to imagine how heartbreaking the flash flood disaster had been—claiming lives, damaging infrastructure, destroying people’s homes and paralysing life there.

Amidst the debris of the disaster, an extraordinary story about Bang Julian Putra came to light—a story that deserves to be known and reflected upon by many.