Unisa Yogyakarta Students Explore The Largest Water Village In Southeast Asia

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As part of the Interprofessional Practice Project, 20 students from the Master of Midwifery Study Program at Universitas ‘Aisyiyah (Unisa) Yogyakarta, paid a visit to Kampong Ayer, an iconic settlement in Brunei Darussalam, on Friday (31/1/2025). This activity is part of a collaboration program with Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) which aims to broaden cross-cultural insights and deepen understanding of the health system and social life of the local community.

Kampong Ayer, dubbed the ‘Venice of the East‘, is located in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei and is the largest water village in Southeast Asia. Located on the banks of the Brunei River, the area consists of traditional houses standing on wooden stilts, complete with schools of various levels, fire departments, police stations, cultural galleries, mosques, clinics, and other public facilities connected by wooden bridges and boats as the main means of transportation.

The Interprofessional Practice Project program was accompanied by Prof. Dr. Mufdlilah, S.SiT., M.Sc and Dr. Askuri, M.Si. During the visit, Unisa Yogyakarta students had the opportunity to talk directly with local residents, understand the lifestyle of people who still maintain traditions, and observe how access to health services is provided to the residents of Kampong Ayer.

“I am very amazed to see how the people of Kampong Ayer maintain their cultural heritage. Despite living on the water, the facilities here are quite complete, and the people are very friendly. This has been a very valuable experience for us to understand cultural sustainability and health challenges in this community,” said Yuriska Verina, a student of the Master of Midwifery Study Program at Unisa Yogyakarta.

This visit not only provided academic insights but also strengthened the relationship between Unisa Yogyakarta and UBD in the health, social, and cultural fields. The students hope that this kind of collaboration can continue in the future so that more valuable experiences can be gained in building a global perspective.

With the end of this visit, UNISA Yogyakarta students brought home precious memories and deep lessons about the life of the people of Kampong Ayer, which prove that tradition and progress can go hand in hand in harmony.Authors: Yuriska Verina and Awwal Al-fauzia N (Master’s Student in Midwifery, UNISA Yogyakarta), Prof. Dr. Mufdlilah, S.SiT., M.Sc and Dr. Askuri, M.Si (Lecturer in Midwifery, UNISA Yogyakarta)