Category: Learning Centers

Recently I led a team of visitors to Sabah to visit our literacy centers for children who cannot attend school because are ‘illegal aliens’ (aka refugees from Philippines).

In the team were 4 South Africans who are interested to start similar learning centers in South Africa.

One of the centers that we visited was situated in a village built over the sea. This center had just started a week earlier. When we visited the center, the enthusiastic teacher was teaching her class of about 30 children the alphabet in the open area just outside her mum’s little wooden shack.

The visitors were standing on the walkway by the side of the makeshift ‘classroom’ observing the class of eager students, when all of a sudden the entire walkway of sticks gave way and dumped all the four South Africans plus a little village girl into the sea!

Fortunately I was able to grab a pole that was still standing and hung on for dear life! Thankfully all the 5 who fell into the sea were spared any major injury – and made their way back to safety.

The cause of the collapse was probably due to the fact that the walkway of sticks was designed for lighter locals rather than heavier South Africans, plus the fact that continuous rains had softened the sticks.

The South Africans contributed 50 Ringgit (about US $12) to repair the walkway so that kids could safely get back to school and continue to learn their alphabets!

In spite of the dunking into the dirty water, we continued our visit and managed to visit 6 (out of the total of 14) Goducate learning centers in Sabah.

Hopefully, they will be able to start similar learning centers in the near future  in South Africa – and the dunking and drinking of dirty swamp water would not be in vain!

“Teacher did your house made up by stones? Did you have an air-condition room?” I was puzzled by why this girl was asking such questions. I smiled at her and said, “Yes, teacher has all this things because someone gave them to her”. She smiled back and said, “You know teacher my house is made up of woods and my father built it with his bare hands. Our room had no air-con but the sea breeze at night makes us feel cold as we sleep”. I smiled and continue listening to her.

But I was shocked by her next sentence. “But now I am sad because my father was caught by the authority last Friday while he was waiting for his friend before going to work. We had no document, which is why only my father took the courage to go out every day and work so that we can have food to eat. Now because my father was inside the jail, we had no money to buy food. My mother asked help to her sister who is our neighborhood but she is also poor and had many children, if they have extra rice in their house my mother cooked into porridge so that it will be enough to seven of us include my mother.”

“Does it mean you are six siblings in the family? And you are the eldest?” “No teacher, I’m the second child and yes, we are six in the family. My eldest sister is 12 years old while the youngest is my 4 months old brother.” “So do you eat porridge 3 times a day?” “Only during lunch teacher because if we eat 3 times the rice which my auntie gave will not be enough for us.” “So what does your 4 month-old-brother eat?” “Well of course only rice porridge and warm water.” “He doesn’t drink milk?” “No teacher he doesn’t drink milk because it is expensive and we can’t afford it.”

I had a crushing feeling in my heart as she told me their situation and I asked, “What do you do when you feel hungry?” “My mother gave us warm water before we sleep at night and when we woke up in the morning. Then sometimes if some of the families throw their small fishes, I picked it up and gave to my mother and cooked it.” “Did it sustain you ‘till lunch time?” “At first I am very weak and jealous with other children that they can buy and eat what they want. But now, I fully understand our situation and I must be look strong for my mother and siblings.”

When I could not stop tears flowing from my eyes but I tried to hide it from her. Again I smiled and asked “Still you go to the center to study every morning though you are hungry?” “Yes teacher, my mother told me to go and learn new things. She was very happy to see me that I can able to write my name and I felt happy too to see my mother smiling in spite of what happened to us. She told me that I must study very hard because it is the only thing that she can give me.”

Norshela is only 10 years old but she has understood the value of life and education. At her early age, she has experienced all the pain and hardship of what life is all about, but she has also experienced the hope that will free her from poverty and make her dream come true, which is to be a teacher. Norshela is just one of the millions of children who are seeking hope that they can emerge from the sea of poverty—the hope that Goducate can give. Let us continue to help the needy Asian children to have dreams and to make them come true.