RADAR TULUNGAGUNG – A migrant student in East Java has turned financial hardship into community service by caring for a neighborhood prayer space while juggling multiple jobs and his final-year studies.

Alfin Saifullah, a student at UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung from Ngawi, now serves as caretaker of Musala Al-Ikhlas. He initially moved into the small mosque to reduce living costs while studying away from home.

“At first, a friend invited me. There were economic reasons because I didn’t need to pay rent. But I also wanted to serve,” he said.

When Alfin arrived, he found the former Islamic boarding school complex poorly maintained. He began cleaning the yard, repairing corners of the building, and reviving daily worship activities. Residents noticed his dedication and later entrusted him to lead the mosque’s management.

“It would be a shame if this former pesantren site wasn’t cared for. I hope it can benefit students and residents again,” he said.

Alfin’s responsibilities run alongside a demanding daily schedule. After the dawn call to prayer and Quran recitation, he leaves at 5:30 a.m. to work as a janitor and groundskeeper at a local elementary school until mid-morning. He then continues to a fast-food outlet job until late afternoon.

Before sunset, he returns to the mosque to clean and prepare for the Maghrib and Isha calls to prayer. Evenings are spent on campus activities and writing his undergraduate thesis as a final-semester student.

The routine has tested his endurance. He admitted reaching a breaking point during his first six months. “I felt very tired and wanted to give up,” he said. Yet he chose to persist, seeing hardship as part of personal growth.

Today, Musala Al-Ikhlas has regained vitality. Regular dawn recitations, Ramadan Tarawih sessions, and weekly communal clean-ups now involve local residents. Community support has strengthened Alfin’s resolve to continue.

Behind his responsibilities, he holds a simple goal: graduate on time and leave lasting good for the community that supported him. “As a migrant student, this is the path I must take to survive until graduation. I hope the mosque’s activities continue,” he said.