A 6th semester student of the Tourism Study Program, Faculty of Administrative Sciences, Fitroh Awaludin, was successfully selected as one of two young delegates representing Indonesia at the Global NCD Alliance Forum 2025 which took place in Kigali, Rwanda for three days (13-15/2/2025).
Fitroh found information related to this forum through the U-Report digital platform managed by UNICEF Indonesia. The forum focuses on global strategies in dealing with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, mental health, and chronic respiratory disease.
The selection process which Fitroh went through was not easy. He had to go through a strict administrative process, including making a video about his contribution in the field of NCDs. “I only had five days to prepare all the files, including a video explaining my activities in raising awareness about mental health for children on the outermost islands of Indonesia,” he said.
Despite having failed twice in the previous UNICEF Indonesia program selection, Fitroh did not give up and finally succeeded in passing as a delegate for this international forum. “I am sure that the experience I have built up so far, especially through volunteer activities, can be a strong asset in bringing the voices of Indonesian children to the global forum,” he added.
In this forum, Fitroh raised the connection between mental health and NCDs. According to him, stress, lack of access to health education, and unhealthy lifestyles can increase the risk of NCDs. “As a tourism student, I see that this sector can be a tool to improve public health through the concept of ecotourism and wellness tourism,” he explained.
One of the ideas he wants to develop after this forum is to integrate a health perspective into tourism, such as creating a tourism program that supports physical activity and mental health.
Fitroh said that the opportunity to be in Rwanda was an extraordinary experience. In addition to meeting with delegates from various countries, she also had the opportunity to discuss directly with representatives of WHO and other world health organizations. “I learned a lot from how they handle the NCDs issue, especially in terms of policy and implementation in society,” he said.
One of the biggest challenges she faced was her confidence in speaking English in international forums. “At first I felt nervous, but I got a lot of support from other participants. One of my international friends said, ‘English is just a language, not knowledge or anything else,’ and that really lifted my spirits,” he recalled.
According to Fitroh, young people have a big role in overcoming NCDs, both through education, policy advocacy, and healthy lifestyle innovations. “We can start from small things, such as promoting healthy eating patterns, raising awareness about mental health, and creating community-based programs that support active lifestyles,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of student involvement in the global movement. “Don’t let language barriers be a barrier. What’s important is how we can convey ideas and contribute at the international level,” he said to UB students.
After returning from this forum, Fitroh plans to develop the Sokola Alam education program, which he pioneered to introduce mental health to children in remote areas. He hopes that this outdoor activity-based learning concept can help children understand the importance of physical and mental health from an early age.
Fitroh hopes that his achievement can inspire more UB students to get involved in global issues. He also encourages the university to provide more support for students who want to participate in international events. “Campus support in the form of training, mentoring, and access to global programs is very important to open up more opportunities for UB students,” he said.
In closing, Fitroh reminded that big dreams always come with big challenges. “It’s not a dream if it doesn’t scare you and make it difficult to sleep every night. Daring to try and continuing to learn is the key to being able to contribute at the global level,” he concluded.
With this achievement, Fitroh Awaludin has proven that Indonesian students, especially from Universitas Brawijaya, are able to compete at the international level and bring change to the global community.[dea/sitirahma/ UB PR/ Trans. Iir]
