Singaporean respond to the cries of Aceh flood victims, launch humanitarian mission
- Khai Asyraf
- Mar 5
- 3 min read
Residents in Aceh, Indonesia, have raised white flags as a sign that they can no longer bear the heavy burden of prolonged flooding that has severely disrupted their lives.
Despite roads and several regions continuing to be inundated by relentless rain, an individual from Singapore, driven by a strong sense of purpose, stepped forward to shoulder a humanitarian responsibility by initiating a relief effort in Aceh.
Mr Khai Asyraf, 39, founder of the cross-regional business and policy discussion platform Gulf-ASEAN Exchange, who has been in Banda Aceh, shared his experience with Berita Harian (BH), recounting the devastation he witnessed while carrying out humanitarian work on the ground recently.
“This aid project is intended as a rapid and flexible response, rather than a structured charity initiative.
“This flood has not been declared a national emergency… which means large-scale international humanitarian assistance mechanisms have not been formally activated, even though the needs on the ground remain extremely urgent, particularly in hard-to-reach areas,” he said.
Following Typhoon Senyar last November (2025), severe flooding claimed more than 1,000 lives and left hundreds of thousands of residents homeless across the island of Sumatra.
In Aceh, the region most severely affected, nearly half of the total fatalities were recorded. Many residents are still struggling without adequate access to clean water, food supplies, electricity, and medical necessities.
While staying near Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in Banda Aceh, Mr Khai personally witnessed the exhausted and grief-stricken faces of local residents as the widespread destruction continued to weigh heavily on their villages and communities.
For him, reaching remote areas proved to be a major challenge, as many roads remained impassable and assistance was urgently needed.
“My role is not to run a programme, but to act as a connector for collaboration so that limited resources can reach more people directly and effectively,” he said.
This involved coordinating with trusted partners in Aceh and working with community leaders and student networks, including Mr Hafiz Akbar, Chairman of the Aceh Global Student Forum (Formad), who has been distributing aid in Aceh Tamiang, an area that Mr Khai could not reach due to road closures.
In addition, collaboration was established with humanitarian organisations such as the local team from Global Ehsan Relief Worldwide, which managed aid distribution in Bireuen.
These efforts ensured that assistance reached various affected areas directly.
Long before the floods struck in November 2025, Aceh had already held a special place in Mr Khai’s heart.
Following the December 2004 tsunami, Mr Khai, who was then 19 years old, volunteered at an orphan madrasa.
There, he spent time with a group of Acehnese children and developed a deep bond with them. In fact, he never felt burdened by the responsibility of bringing joy to the children.
Quietly, he made a promise to himself that if disaster ever struck again, he would return to help them.
“I’m simply carrying out my responsibility through community work, which has always been part of my life. I’ve done this before, and I’m just helping in whatever way I can,” he said.
Since arriving in Aceh on 28 December, aid has been distributed in Pidie Jaya, covering at least five temporary coordination or relief centres set up during the emergency.
In Bireuen, assistance was delivered to four aid centres in collaboration with Global Ehsan Relief Worldwide.
Support was also channelled to Aceh Tamiang through Formad, given the access constraints that required travel via Medan.
Mr Khai shared that donations collected from his private personal network were used to provide essential relief items such as rice, diapers, sanitary pads, personal hygiene products, and snacks for children.
The funds were also used to cover transportation and logistics costs needed to reach affected areas.
Part of the donations was also allocated for Quran endowments through mosques and meunasah (small community prayer halls), which have also served as informal shelters or aid distribution points.
“My hope is that this effort can reveal the realities on the ground, uphold the trust placed in me through transparency, and ease their burden even if only a little.
“I also hope it can encourage closer coordination among humanitarian aid actors, wherever they may be.
“The continued need for basic food supplies and clean water remains critical, along with medical support, particularly for children suffering from post-flood infections and skin conditions,” he added.
Mr Khai Asyraf, founder of the cross-regional business and policy discussion platform Gulf-ASEAN Exchange.
Disclaimer: This article was originally published in Berita Harian. It has been reproduced here on my personal website as part of my personal archive and portfolio of published work.
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