The starting point of all achievement is desire

We've reached the end of the semester, which also marks the end of this Social Engagement course.

I've attended all the activities, sacrificing my Friday and sometimes, weekends for this course. Social engagement course is like another volunteer programme for me, as I've experienced volunteering during secondary school time, except that during secondary school, I helped the elders and now, it is the kids' turn.

Thank you secretary for finding Yayasan Chow Kit and PAKK as our "basement" for this course. The children over there are mostly Malay, some of them are even children of foreign workers. Being a Chinese, I've face some difficulties communicating with them as my BM language skills are not that good. But once, I'm surprised that they knew some simple Chinese words such as number one to ten, etc. And many times, they approaches me and my Chinese friends to seek for the pronounciation for a certain words. I'm so happy that they are willing to learn languages other than their mother tongue language. In Malaysia, we should all do the same.

I've understood that Kuala Lumpur is a busy city, with full of foreign workers, some even illegal, thus they might bring some negativities and spread them around. Children that are still not mature enough with less critical thinking skills should not be exposed to them. Yayasan Chow Kit had built a platform for them, to protect them from all the negativities, and to teach them a lot of soft skills which could not be learn in the classroom. This is a thing that I'm impressed with.

Working with the team, with all coursemates had been a blessing for me. We've no longer strangers since then because of that we stick with our race group during class and meals. I've known a good side of them and I know that we could have a strong bonding between coursemates throughout our university life. I've understand that teamwork is very important to make things work.

I never really thought of community service as a movement. But it is.

Thank you.

Chan Xin Jo
Bureau of Publicity and Public Relations

Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile

Hi…Yeah, it’s me Danson Lee! Our Tautan Kasih project has just come into the end officially last Saturday on 16^th May 2015. It seems like everything just come and go so fast that now is almost the end of the second semester. I would like to take the opportunity here to thank all my Tautan Kasih project members for their responsibility and commitment for the past two months. Not to forget our supervisors, Dr. Anisah and Dr. Siti Suzlin for their kind guidance on the project flow.

I have been assigned to lead the team for this Tautan Kasih project right from the first week the idea is discussed and presented. Right at that time, we focus our target to be orphans or kindergarten kids who are keen looking for schooling experience. With the thinking that we, as university students should and have the ability to give better experience to them especially in early mathematical abilities. After searching and contacting with some organisations, finally we fixed our target to kids from Pusat Aktiviti Kanak-kanak (PAKK), Chow Kit.

For the very first week we went to PAKK, things seems going to be very tough for us where we are facing 60 over kids age ranging from 5-12 years old. 14 of us are going to take care 60 over of them. Ohhh…sounds like mission impossible! But we did it in the end, how I feel about that? Hmmm…I think I have to describe it this way------SUPER DUPER TIRED! I have to say, it is really a brand new experience to me as a university student. For years I did volunteer service under Ops Selamat during festival seasons, but this volunteer service to engage and to take care of kids are really my first try.

The second visit to PAKK brought a different feel. Why I say so? This time we have had a chance to do a “not so formal” interview with some of the teachers there. From there, we get a better glance of the history of Yayasan Chow Kit and some relevant information. In general, Yayasan Chow Kit provides shelter to the homelessness and education support to those who are not able to go into government school. From what we observed, the kids there are coming from various background having their not so happy story behind. All these can be observed along the way to PAKK where the whole Chow Kit Street are full of foreigners from Bangladesh, Indonesia etc. The surrounding environment is just not conducive for a child. Take a visit to Chow Kit Street via PWTC LRT service station then surely you will agree with me. Why there is no one who sounds and raise up the issue?

Activities at PAKK go on as usual for few weeks until a big carnival at Kelab Sultan Sulaiman on 25^th April 2015. We been responsible for the game slot with parents during that day. We are well-planned for that but due to some delay with the ceremony, our game slot is postponed to one hours later. The games are carried out so efficiently and we also get a lot of support from the parents which motivate us under the hot and sunny day. Overall is fun and quite a success event but the lesson learnt is that we shall be more prepared in term of item preparation although other party has taken charge for the preparation of item as they may not know what exactly we wanted to do.

At the end of this project, I learnt to appreciate the things that are given to us. As we are from a better family I suppose, that formal education isn’t a big deal for most of us, we tends to take it as granted, not going to care about that. But to some of them outside, they are struggling and urgently looking for a place for their children’s’ education. Who knows whether they are having some financial problem or not able to obtain the pass to go into government school. So, we should feel lucky that basic necessities are provided to us as we live in a stable and developing country.

Besides, I also learnt to be more patient and thinking at different viewpoints. Try to think from a different angle and understand how ones feel about a certain issue, put yourself in their place, then you are able to better understand them. A better understanding gives an idea of what should be done to have something improved. As a team leader, I am now better able to distribute tasks and have all my members participate actively as a team. Together we are StatPower!

Thank you so much for reading. 

Lee Kain Sheng
Director

Caring has the gift of making the ordinary special

Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera, seronok dapat menyertai khidmat masyarakat bersama kanak-kanak di Yayasan Chow Kit.

Mereka sangat aktif dan kreatif. Walaupun mereka berasal dari latar belakang keluarga yang berlainan tetapi mereka seronok tiggal bersama. Sepanjang aktiviti di sana banyak pengalaman yang saya dapat terutamanya pengalaman macam mana hendak mengawal kanak-kanak yang sangat aktif, walaupun agak sukar tetapi ia adalah pengalaman dan satu cabaran untuk saya.

Selain itu, melalui program ini dapat mengajar saya untuk berkomunikasi baik dengan pihak di sana terutamanya dari segi aturan tarikh dan masa untuk program bersama kanak-kanak. Tambahan pula untuk menjayakan aktiviti ini, kerjasama antara kumpulan memainkan peranan yang sangat penting, masing-masing perlu memberi komitment yang tinggi terhadap tugas masing-masing. Ini dapat mengajar saya untuk bekerjasama dalam satu kumpulan agar sesuatu program berjalan lancar walaupun berlainan kaum.

Jadi saya harap dapat melibatkan diri dengan aktiviti kemasyarakatan sebegini lagi untuk menghiburkan masyarakat dan memahami mereka. Sekian.

Nur Syazwani Binti Ismail
Secretary

Tiada apa-apa yang pernah menjadi kenyataan sehingga ia dialami

Pertama sekali saya berasa sangat gembira kerana projek ini dapat dijayakan dengan jayanya. Semua berjalan lancar dan segala masaalah yang dihadapi dapat dihadapi dengan baik . Pengalaman bersama-sama adik-adik Yayasan Chow Kit merupakan pengalaman yang tidak dapat dilupakan. Banyak perkara yang saya belajar apabila bersama masyarakat terutamanya dalam memperbaiki kemahiran berkomunikasi sesama masyarakat dan menyelami kekurangan yang mereka alami.

 Pertama kali kami berjumpa adik-adik Yayasan Chow Kit terpamer wajah-wajah riang mereka dalam menyambut kedatangan kami. Mereka sangat suka apabila mereka disantuni dan diambilberat akan kebajikan mereka. Terpalit rasa kemanusiaan apabila kita sendiri merasai pengalaman bersama masyarakat yang hidup dalam serba kekurangan. Kami banyak melakukan aktiviti yang bertujuan menghiburkan adik-adik Yayasan Chow Kit. Senyuman yang terukir di wajah mereka sangat menyenangkan kami. Pelbagai teletah mereka sepanjang kami bersama mereka, ada yang menangis,berkejar-kejaran dan ada yang petah bercakap.

Perkataan letih memang tidak dapat disangkal tetapi melihat adik-adik Yayasan Chow Kit gembira dapat melegakan keletihan yang kami rasai. Sekadar itu refleksi saya. Terima kasih kepada pensyarah iaitu Dr Anisah dan Dr Siti serta rakan-rakan sekumpulan.

Siti Mazzura Binti Marzuki
Biro Teknikal dan Logistik

Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny

Through this program, we can understand the hardships of their lives. They cannot live like normal children because of family problems. Although the Pusat Asuhan Kanak-kanak ( PAKK ) Chow Kit has given completely to their needs, but they still need more love from others.

From my own experience, we face difficulties to control the children because they are very active. Although we were tired, we feel very happy that they still follow what has been planned by us.

We love you PAKK

Noor Afifah Binti Saifullah
Vice Secretary

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness

SIMPLE, BUT HAPPY.

It’s my very first experience as volunteer in the nursery centre. The children there were came from different background. Some are Pakistanis, some Cambodians, and most of them are the local Malays.

They been there, to study, to eat, and to play, together. They had no sense to differentiate each from the others. What they care about was only that “he/she is my friend”. Not race or religion’s problem in between them. They like to help their friends, simply like dancing and drawing . So that’s what we called children. Everybody like to be “hero”. XD

It's childhood. Simple, but happy. They always carrying the big smile in their cute face. 

“Keep smiling because life is beautiful and there is so much to smile about.”

From the time I stay with the children there, my memories flashback. The time when I was a kid, the time without smartphone, without internet. I cycled with my brother and sister, played kite, badminton, or just simply a running. That’s all that make me felt nothing to worry about. My happiest time. :)

But life goes on, I need to grow up,and learn something new. I know it's my responsibility to my own life. For sure, things go harder, maybe I will feel down, full with frustration, but it's my choice, for my dream, and never regret. :)

"Sometimes, the key to making progress is to recognize how to take that very first step. Then you start your journey." -Grey's Anatomy

I wish that all the children from Yayasan Chow Kit can always keep their big and beautiful smile. Keep smiling, not for jobs, not because it’s desire of other people. Keep smiling, because of happiness.

That's all. :D

And here come to end of the project of Social Engagement! Hooray!

Special thanks to our advisor and all my teammates, you all had really really done a good jobs! 👍

Appreciate:)

Kek Zhong Chee
Bureau of Publicity and Public Relations

One Last Time

16 May 2015

As usual, some of us reach earlier to have breakfast before the activity begin. Spotting this notice on their notice board simply made us surprised and sad at the same time. It was like the farewell for us and the children. Thank you for coming and support us, children at PAKK!

So we started with the colouring session with the children. The plan to paint mural at a corner of PAKK is cancelled because we don't have enough paint and brushes to do so. Too bad that we could not leave a good memory over there :( The children are very happy when we took out the colouring paper. They form into small groups to share the colour pencils.

After all the colourings and small chats and also many photograph sessions, they proceed to have their lunch since the cathering has arrived. Then, the committee, which is us, split into two groups to have our lunch outside, to keep the children company. While the children is eating, those who had finish their meal came to have a small talk with us, some even want us to show them the photos we took during the colouring session!

After both groups finish their lunch, we proceed to set up the projector, and it is movie time for the children! After a small discussion with the committess during the meeting last night, we decided to play Despicable Me for the session. We've downloaded subtitle for them too for more understanding purposes! Also, there are puddings as refreshment for everyone!

After the movie credits, we proceed to the video prepared by one of our committee, where we flashback all the activities we've done throughout the course with all the photos and videos we took during the activity.

After that, we distribute some questionnaire for the children to fill up, about what is the most liked and disliked activities throughout our programme, and also about what to improve and some comments.

Today is also the Teachers' Day! Some volunteered to speak out in front of all to dedicate their appreciation and gratitude to their teacher, which almost made her shed her tears in front of all of us. Even a simple thank you will made one smile. Spread the love and positivity around you, people!

We did proceed to give some presents to the best artist of the day, and also we gave them sweets and cupcakes, a small thank you for YCK and for the children.

And there are a big surprise for them! Some of us went downstairs to prepare some balloons during the movie time. And when they enter the room with all the colourful balloons, some of them shouted with joy which caught all attention and all of them approaches them to get their balloon.

Lastly, out team leader, Danson Lee gave a short speech to the teacher at YCK and we gave her a hamper as a token of appreciation.

Thank you YCK, thank you Social Engagement, to give us this opportunity to expose to this small corner of the society. We sure will miss them a lot, through all the happiness and sorrows, and how important is communication, teamwork, and our passion.

Signing off :)