Jun 18, 2025

Students Support Hajj with Service and Innovation

Sixteen students from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) played an active role in the success of Hajj 1446H, one of the largest annual gatherings in the world. Over 1.5 million pilgrims from across the globe, speaking different languages and representing diverse cultural backgrounds, gathered in Makkah this year.

Volunteering through the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association and the Ministry of Hajj, and in cooperation with emergency services, the students were stationed across key areas to help guide lost pilgrims to their camps. This was an especially critical task in a constantly changing urban environment. They worked around language barriers, age and health conditions, and shifting road networks to ensure pilgrims arrived safely and efficiently.

One student, Ali Asiri, went a step further. Drawing on his background in technology, he developed an interactive digital map of Mina, helping both fellow volunteers and pilgrims more easily navigate the area throughout the Hajj days.

In addition to offering support, the students gained far more than they gave. “The experience was filled with challenges and life lessons, both individually and as a team,” they shared. Living in an organized scout camp, they developed greater discipline, learned the value of structure, and were even recognized as the best-performing team in their camp for their professionalism and teamwork.

The experience also strengthened their communication and collaboration skills. Navigating interactions with people from all over the world taught them patience, cultural sensitivity, and quick decision-making, particularly in time-sensitive or emergency situations that required coordination with first responders.

This initiative represents more than just community service. It reflects the seven habits KFUPM instills in its students: high aspiration, self-reliance, global exposure, multidisciplinary thinking, research, entrepreneurship, and positivity. These young leaders returned with sharpened leadership skills, broader worldviews, and a renewed sense of purpose, reminding us that knowledge, when used to serve others, becomes its most powerful form.