Last week I visited our Goducate Literacy Centers in Sabah. Presently there are 16 centers (possibly 17 by next week) in 16 different villages that provide education to children who have no opportunity to go to school because they are “undocumented aliens” from The Philippines and Indonesia. These are the children of migrant workers who have come to look for work in Sabah’s plantations and construction sites. The “stars” of these literacy centers are the teachers—most of whom are mothers of our students, or former students who have “graduated” from these centers. I am always amazed by their passion to teach, their willingness to learn, their dedication to their students—in spite of the primitive conditions of their “classrooms”, the meagerness of their remuneration, and the constant fear of the local authorities.
One of our former students, T-t, aged 17, is now a teacher. T-t was a student at our center for about 2 years before she was promoted to be an assistant teacher and then a teacher. A few months ago, she was offered a job as a receptionist in an “upmarket” spa because of her poise, her ability to speak a little Mandarin, and her fluent English (a skill she picked up at our center). This was indeed a dream come true for her and a first for the entire village! The starting-pay was RM 500/month – which is what most “undocumented” adults hope to earn.
After 2 months in this cushy dream-job she felt an “emptiness” (in her own words) and decided to return to the village to teach—for RM 100/month! She told me with tears in her eyes: “I just love to teach!”
T-t exemplifies Goducate’s philosophy of helping Asians help themselves—and who then help others help themselves. We are so proud of our Sabah teachers!
