Category: Malaysia

Last night when I went to bed, I couldn’t shake off from my mind the pictures of those mothers with their kids. We just finished the last round of evaluation tests to determine whether who among the children attending our learning centers have passed the Basic Literacy Program. Last May, we had 60 passers.
We had a team of volunteer-evaluators composed of two primary teachers from the Philippines who designed the tests and one who used to be a school principal for seven years in the Philippines before she taught in an International school in Thailand for the last five years.

They stayed with us for 3-4 weeks, visiting the centers in the kampongs, observing the students and our teachers.

We were all waiting for the big day, when the tests will be given. And indeed the big day came.

Plus another bigger day, when the results yielded 256 passers for our second batch.

After 10 months, two hundred fifty six were certified readers who can be accepted to our Primary Program this coming January 2011. Should they pursue it. Should their circumstances allow them. Or should they rise above their circumstances.

As I am writing this, one kampong is being demolished. We don’t know where the kids will be. But one thing we are sure, once they can locate the learning center, they will find their way.

Just like the kids who were awarded their certificates after passing the program.

I looked at the pictures again. I looked at the face of the proud Moms, what was inside their hearts were written all over their faces. Their kids will not be like them. They will have a chance.

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I usually travel light. To save time and unnecessary hassle, I avoid checked-in bags. However, this trip to Sabah, as we were leaving our house to the airport, my neighbour who met me at the lift lobby asked if we were migrating! Well, my travel partners and I had altogether four huge bags plus 2 boxes to check in, not forgetting our backpacks and cabin bags. This was the plan : we stuffed all our personal belongings in the cabin bags/backpacks – each with a limited quota! And managed to squeeze in more gifts where there is room in the cabin bags. U may ask, what went in the checked in bags and boxes?

Well, some kind Goducate supporters from the ieatishootipost.sg food-blog community who visited Sabah previously (see earlier blog post “Food-blogging community visits poor children in Sabah, Malaysia”) saw the needs, and donated clothing, bags, purses, books and stationery for the needy in the kampungs. One lady even decided to contribute brand new children’s clothing bought from her recent shopping trip in Hong Kong! We were delighted to receive all these goodies, had a great time packing them into the bags (huge bags!!!!) ensuring that the weight limit was kept to; and brought them all to Sabah. (It was amazing that we managed to take them all on a small transit plane …the flight attendant marvelled at one of us who carried 3 bags – “satu orang tiga bags”! Oh yes, one of the checked-in bags didn’t make on the transit flight and we had to lug in with us on the plane.)

Of course, the efforts paid off as we saw the happy faces who received the gifts! The recipients were overwhelmed with “mountains” of goodies brought all the way from Singapore to Sabah, especially for them! Most of all, they knew the items came with love and warm thoughts of them from a distance! They had so much fun going through each item (sorting and organising), one of them was flipping & reading the colourful children’s books all night! Christmas arrived early for them!

Goducate is thankful to our supporters who generously contribute to provide for the needy. These gifts are precious indeed. B’cos they came with love!

Last week, a small group of us visited the literacy centers set up by Goducate for poor children in Sabah.

We only managed to see only 5 of these 9 literacy centers due to time and logistical constraints (it was difficult to reach these centers, situated over mangrove swamp and out-of-the-way villages). Thankfully it was low tide with soggy and muddy ground and not high tide flooded with sea-water when we visited one of them. To reach another, we had to take a boat and walk on wobbly planks. Then to reach another, it was 30minutes walk from the road in heavy downpour, and some of us slipped and fell in the slippery mud! Pretty adventurous! But all’s well worth the “exercises”!

We had heard stories about these undocumented “refugees” from the Philippines who are needy. We had seen many photos of these children, most, if not all, cute and charming faces (most of the time, credits were given to the photographers and their awesome, expensive cameras!).

Little did we think of the warm smiles and sweet voices! Thus, when we met the children in person in these villages, and heard their cheery greetings “Good Morning Vistooors!!!”, my heart melted immediately!!!

When they queued and took turns to shake our hands, my heart was filled with love for them! When I saw their eagerness to learn, reciting alphabets & numerals loudly, writing each stroke seriously and carefully on the boards or their homework books, I felt their deep desire to be educated!

It’s great joy to see the faces of happy children@schools despite the basic infrastructure and hot/wet weather. Most of all, I see hope in their eyes as they are now able to learn ABCs and be educated and useful to the society.

There was no way for these children to go to school, but Goducate made it possible cos schools “went to them” instead!