I have always wanted to change the landscape
of how things work in our society, from the way we interact with each other; to
the way we contribute back to people.
Growing up in an environment that stresses on the importance of being
responsible for my own life and the environment I live in, I become more aware
of why is it important to make a difference and fight for a cause, in any way
we can do. I am a strong believer in the gift of life; hence helping others to
experience theirs is a gift to myself. The world we live in is not entirely
about us, but also how we provide the path for others to achieve better than
us, letting them to experience it the way we do.
My experience as a facilitator in Kalsom was
beyond my expectations. I was surprised by how passionate the participants
were, not just to change their lives, but also to achieve better. I became more
aware that not all of the kids were born with silver spoons, some of them
really had to work hard, much harder than their friends of the same age, to
achieve the same goals in life. It was the power of will that has driven them
to see the value of success from a different angle. Determination has become
the new ‘obsession’, pushing them to see beyond the confines of their norms.
Joining Kalsom was not about the children
only. For me, Kalsom has brought a mutual benefit to the facilitators. We
became more inspired and touched by their hard work, how they have been working
hard overcoming all the struggles in life. Each of them had a very unique story
to share with us and helping them to create their own dreams was the most
satisfying feeling to us. All of us felt blessed to have been given this
opportunity, and being beside them through this exciting journey was a gift to us.
I still remember vividly a girl in my group
who started as someone who could not even talk a single word in English. On the
last day of the programmme, she asked for the microphone from me. Standing
there, watching her singing an English song for us, was the most amazing moment
in my life. I was not only touched by the courage she has shown to me, but also
the difference Kalsom has made in her, in such a short period of time. It was
all of these little things that have made Kalsom different, especially when we
did all these things from the heart, hopefully it would touch the heart back.
I am proud to say how successful Kalsom has
become. It is not just about inspiring the kids, but also a catalyst for
everyone who has truly involved in Kalsom, to understand our society better.
We can simply blame them for not having the
motivation to work harder, but sometimes we tend to forget to be in their
shoes. We blame them for not going to school, but we don’t know the struggle
they have to go through to just be there, without worrying what to eat later on.
We blame them for not having a dream going
abroad, while for them being a mechanic is even beyond their reach. We blame
them for being in poverty and having no inspiration to change their lives,
without knowing that they also don’t wish to live like that. Sometimes we think
too much of all the big dreams that we can do, putting all the little things
aside. That is how Kalsom has touched us, making us more realise on the reality
of our society.
Kalsom is not just about the children to be
better. It is also about creating a chain effect, so that everyone involved
will not only have the responsibility to contribute in their own ways, but also
to create a better ‘Malaysia’ 20 years down the line. We all can make a
difference in society
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