Aceh Tamiang – Undergraduate students from the Psychology Study Program at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) who participated in the Aceh Humanitarian Community Service Program (KKN Kemanusiaan Aceh) carried out psychosocial assistance activities for children affected by flooding in Kebun Tanah Terban, Karang Baru District, Aceh Tamiang Regency. The program, which took place from January 10 to February 10, 2026, was part of a collaboration between UNY and Universitas Samudra (UNSAM) aimed at supporting community recovery after the disaster.

One of the undergraduate psychology students actively involved in the program was Dwi Cahyaningsih, who was a member of Group 21 Kebun Tanah Terban under the supervision of Dr. Kuncoro Asih Nugroho, S.Pd., M.Pd., M.Sc. Together with a cross-university KKN team, they designed a psychological recovery program for children using a fun & heal games approach—play-based activities intended to help children express their emotions while gradually restoring their psychological well-being after experiencing the disaster.

The program was initiated in response to the traumatic experiences still felt by many children following the floods that struck the area. Through various enjoyable activities, the students sought to create a safe space where children could regain a sense of comfort, confidence, and social connection with their surroundings.

A variety of activities including group games, storytelling sessions, singing, and interactive competitions—were organized as part of the program. Each activity session involved more than 30 children, guided by approximately 15 KKN students who were divided into three small groups. In addition to play-based activities, the students also incorporated simple educational messages about resilience and ways to recognize and express emotions in positive ways using approaches that were easily understood by children. The enthusiasm of the participants was evident throughout the activities. The children actively participated, interacted with one another, and enjoyed every game facilitated by the students. “We are very happy that the older brothers and sisters are here. We always play and share stories together it feels really fun,” said Haikal, one of the children who joined the program.

The administration of SDN 2 Percontohan also expressed appreciation for the program, noting that it greatly assisted teachers in supporting the psychosocial recovery of students and rebuilding their motivation to learn after the disaster. For the undergraduate psychology students, the activity served not only as a form of community service but also as a meaningful learning experience in applying psychological knowledge in real-world settings. Dwi Cahyaningsih shared that interacting with the children provided valuable lessons for both herself and her team. “Through this program, we did not only organize activities—we also grew, healed, and rose together with the children. They taught us many meaningful life lessons,” she said.

This initiative is also aligned with Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta’s commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being and SDG 4: Quality Education. Through an engaging and participatory psychological approach, the undergraduate psychology students aimed to help children rediscover a sense of safety, hope, and enthusiasm for learning after experiencing the disaster. Through the collaboration between UNY and Universitas Samudra, this Humanitarian KKN program is expected to continue contributing to strengthening psychosocial recovery efforts in disaster-affected communities. Similar initiatives are also expected to be implemented sustainably as part of higher education institutions’ commitment to creating meaningful impacts for society.