Multidisciplinary Community Service Activities to Enhance Education and Local Culture in Rural Aceh

Abstract

This community service and research program aims to enhance educational quality, cultural awareness, scientific literacy, and environmental responsibility among children in rural Aceh through a multidisciplinary approach. The activities were implemented through a collaboration between Universitas Serambi Mekkah and the community of Ujong Mesjid Tanoh Abee Village, Seulimeum District, Aceh Besar Regency in 2025. Five key interventions were carried out: mathematics tutoring, storytelling-based introduction to human body parts, cultural learning through Acehnese regional songs, cleaning and reorganising the school library, and conducting simple thermometer experiments. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data through observation, interviews, documentation, participant feedback, and field notes. The findings indicate that the mathematics tutoring sessions successfully improved students’ engagement and foundational numeracy skills. The storytelling activity effectively enhanced children’s understanding of basic health concepts while supporting their literacy development. Introducing local Acehnese songs helped strengthen cultural identity and fostered appreciation for regional heritage. The library cleaning activities not only improved the physical learning environment but also cultivated students’ sense of responsibility and cooperation. Meanwhile, the simple thermometer experiment increased students’ interest in science and provided practical exposure to basic scientific principles. Overall, the results demonstrate that integrating educational, cultural, scientific, and environmental activities into a single community service program offers significant benefits for holistic learning in rural settings. This multidisciplinary model provides a practical and replicable framework for supporting community development and improving student learning outcomes in under-resourced regions.