International Volunteer Day 2010

INTERNATIONAL

VOLUNTEER

DAY

2010

International Volunteer Day (IVD) was celebrated on Sunday, 5 December. IVD is a United Nations day that commenced in 1985 and is now celebrated around the world as a day to recognize the contribution of volunteers in their communities.

Encouraging more people to volunteer is a 365-days-a-year task. If you consider the committed work of volunteers of all ages around the globe, carrying out every imaginable kind of activity, IVD should be a day that never ends.

In the spirit of IVD 2010, we’ve interviewed some of our friends about their experience as volunteers. We hope that their stories will inspire you to become a volunteer too!

    Junior Youths of Damansara Jaya                                                                Simran ▪ Iman ▪ Benjamin ▪  

Damian ▪ Shayna ▪ Sharjeel ▪ Kaberi

Datin Seri Norizan Azizan , 40

A volunteer for the PRIDE Foundation

Interviewed by Iman Serafina

What inspired you to become a volunteer, and what keeps you going on to continue

I was initially inspired by the strength and dedication of Datin Seri Endon Mahmood and her own battle against cancer. When she told us about her first plan for PRIDE's first event, we were sold on her infectious dedication. Once I started working with the breast cancer survivors, their strength and optimism keeps me wanting to work with them, both in helping more women overcome the challenges they face when are inflicted with cancer, and the eventual eradication of this disease.

Tell us about your most interesting project

My most interesting project so far has been Climb with PRIDE. Together with breast cancer survivors, we scaled Gunung Kinabalu earlier this year. Together with the survivors, we trained for this challenge and it was very inspiring to watch the women overcome physical limitations. It taught me to do the same

What would you like to say to the future volunteers

I want future volunteers to know that every little bit helps. Every ringgit we raise or donate, every minute we work on a project, every bit of ourselves we give of ourselves. If each of us do a little bit, it adds up to a lot and we can make a difference. Everyone matters, everything counts.

What challenges do you face as a volunteer? How do you overcome it

Well usually all of us have 24hours,and being a mother with a huge family [laughs],a wife, and also a business woman, time becomes an issue because you always seem to have more to do than there is time. I believe in the quote : “ Service is the rent you pay while you are on planet earth.” So there for, I priorities and plan my time so that im able to give my best to my family, my business, as well as give back to society.   

Nina Pattu, 15

Volunteer at the after-school program for teaching refugees at Garden International School

Interviewed by Simran Malik

Where do you volunteer and what do you do 

Garden International School holds an after-school voluntary activity which is helping out the refugees. I volunteer (or any other synonym) once a week for an hour.

How long have you been a volunteer 

It has been just over a year.

What inspired you to become a  volunteer                                                          

I felt that it would be interesting and maybe even exciting, not something I would normally do. However, it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. 

Tell us about your most interesting project 

We don't really have projects but I guess that working with the little ones (5-7 year olds). They are amazingly keen and love coming to learn from us.

What would be your advice to future volunteers

Don't be impatient with them. Their English might not be the best, but that definitely is not stopping them from wanting to make it better and learn more. They will eventually improve a lot, which makes us, as volunteers, feel really good.

Tell us your funniest moment as a volunteer 

I guess the funniest moment was when one of the refugees started imitating his favourite tv character, naruto. He was absolutely amazing at it and he was hilarious. His name was, if I am not mistaken, Abu

 

Nicole Kow, 18

Volunteer at MBPJ Petaling Jaya Child Council (PJCC)

Interviewed by Shayna Ong        

How long have you been a volunteer 

It's been going on for about 6 months. Before this, I was part of community programmes run by my church like the Children At Risk programme where we taught the kids to read and write in English.

What inspired you to become a volunteer

What inspired me.. God? No, really, God. And of course speakers from TED.com. I'm a crazy TED addict and I love listening to their speakers share their ideas and what they've done around the world. GO CHECK IT OUT!! :D

Tell us about your most interesting project 

We took quite a long time to set up, as in come up with a name, slogans, logos, objectives, etc., stuff like that. We have split up into four teams, each team dealing with different issues. My group has set out to tackle the lousy condition of street lights. We plan to do surveys and take photos and videos basically to build up a strong "case" to present later on and hopefully get the local council to do something about it.

What would be your advice to future volunteers

As for advice, I can't really give much because I've only just begun. But the one thing I've learned from my mentors/people older than me who have waaaaaay more experience, is that it all has to start with you. If something others you, like poverty, or bullying, expose yourself to it, research about it, learn more about it, anything that will make you walk away from your computer and do something about it. Start dreaming, start thinking. That's how it starts. And hen the going gets tough, remember why you first started out and stay focused. AND, always smile. :)

Tell us your funniest moment as a volunteer 

Funniest moments.. ermmm.. Okay, there was one time where I went on a trip to meet the orang asli, this was waaaaay before PJCC. We were at the mountain top and there was no hot water. It was the first time for many of us, so we didn't shower that day. The next day, we had to wake up at 6AM. Being a huge fan of sleeping in, I woke up to shrills and shrieks of my friends. Panicked, I ran out only to find the sounds coming from the shower stalls nearby. When my friend came out, I asked her what was going on and she said that the water was cold. She explained that the only way for anyone to get a proper shower with ice cold water was to scream while showering, and that's what everyone did. 

Tomas Charles Ogden,15                    

Volunteer at the after-school program for teaching refugees at Garden International School

Interviewed by Sharjeel Malik

Where do you volunteer and what do you do

At Garden International School - I teach refugees basic subjects every week.

How long have you been a volunteer

Since the beginning of the school year, which is 5 months.

What inspired you to become a volunteer

My mom....she did volunteer work in Australia

What would be your advice to future volunteers

Just be committed to whatever you do

Tell us your funniest moment as a volunteer

When I found out that one of the female refugees fancied my friend Imao

I Wake Today by Ken Nesbitt

I wake today, get out of bed, then stretch and yawn and scratch my head.


I find my clothes. I pull them on. I wonder where my homework's gone.


I grab a breakfast bar for fuel, and hoist my pack and head to school.


When I arrive I'm truly shocked. The lights are off. The door is locked.



I check my watch. It's me, not them. I woke too soon. It's 4:00 A.M.

Letter written during WW1.

My dearest Robyn,
                             Oh, how I miss you! How I long to see your lovely    face again and feel your smooth thick hair. Darling, I write this as I wait  for the fighting to begin again, bringing with it, the pain and the bloodshed of another day.  So love, how’ve  you been  spending  your days at home? Poetry, knitting or cooking? I wish for these moments of bliss. Now this dreadful war has  come  and  separated me  from you.
                    The  only thing I can do to console my aching heart  is to  read your letters  and write  back. We have been  ordered  to clean our rifles and other guns every day!  Perhaps only just to keep us occupied! Sometimes if  the generals aren't patrolling our areas, we can have a bit of a chat with the other soldiers in our trench.  It's the only way we can reminisce the good old days of our towns.

  I made a new friend here, his name is Tommy
Williams. I quite enjoyed talking to him as our interest are similar. Football, writing and Saully's Rum After the battle we'd sit amongst the frogs, rats and mud. This was the only time when we spoke to each other. He had lost his legs in a surprise grenade attack and lived with us until he had the chance to go back home again. They couldn't even give him a wheelchair! That's what the standards here have fallen to. It brings me great shame. That line, what was it again? The one that drew me in to the war at first? Dulce et Decorum est pro patria mori, wasn't it? Well, it's all a great big lie! There is nothing great about dying for your country if they don't even honour your sacrifice!

Tommy had showed me some photos of his girl, Jenny. Quite a looker you know? But not nearly as beautiful as you my sweet. When Tommy got home in Earlesville, he sent me a letter telling me about his homecoming. He found it hard to cope, as everyone stared and pointed at his stump of a leg. Even his Jenny refused him. I'm sure nothing can come between us, eh sugar? 

The living conditions here are worse than any imagination of hell! I cannot even begin to describe them to you! There has been another wave of Trench Fever and Trench foot. Hordes of men have plagued up the Paramedic tent which is now overflowing with the dead and dying. The latrines here smell worse than old Bob's backyard! Every morning we march, drunk with fatigue, securing our failing borders, keeping them from unravelling. After that we have an unofficial breakfast truce. Then, the horrors are unleashed. The rapid exchange of gunfire, the mustard gas bombs and the noise. Oh how I wish I could block out the noise! Men screaming in anguish, raining bombs and total chaos. The perfect background movie playing in the painting of a mad artist's canvas. What you see here is no better than what you hear. You can see the No Man's Land turn lethal. No one in the trenches is allowed to take the merest peek for the fear of becoming easy pickings for a stray bullet. It's a darn tough life here, Robyn. While I walk through the bodies of my dead comrades, I think of us and imagine our reunion to keep me from gagging. I think of what I would say, then edit it, over and over again. I visualise us drunk in the longest embrace. The fighting has started again, I'm afraid. I shall have to stop now as I have to go. Wish me luck. Sleep well Robyn and stay safe, for me.                                                       

As always, yours faithfully,                                                     Richard

Christmas Celebrations around the World

In Malaysia:

Since Malaysia is largely a Muslim country, in some places the celebrations aren't very grand but in others (e.g. malls, Christian homes, churches e.t.c) you can feel the festive season. Even the religious perspective doesn't seem to bother many Non-Christian families because  they still celebrate it with as much zest as any other person. A child only has to see Santa Clause and his numerous reindeer to get excited. Here it's common to see people from different beliefs (among the non-Muslims) attending Christmas gatherings, to observe and soak in the festive spirit. In Bahasa Malay, you wish someone Merry Christmas by saying Selamat Hari Krisma. The Christian community here makes 9% of the population. Some of the popular foods eaten on Christmas are: Kek Lapis Sarawak( a layered cake originating from Sarawak, usually decorated with patterns), Curry Feng(Pork Mince Curry) and Pineapple Jam Tarts.        

 In China:                                                                                                                Christians in China celebrate Christmas by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, called "Trees of Light," with paper chains, paper flowers and paper lanterns. Although it's not legally a public holiday, in some places December 25th is considered a holiday and is celebrated with more enthusiasm, as the new generation moves towards the Western culture. Particularly in urban areas, mostly, you'll find Christmas trees, lights, and other decorations on the streets and in department stores. Children hang muslin stockings and wait for a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren , meaning "Christmas Old Man." Now officially called the "Spring Festival," it is a time when children receive new clothing, eat luxurious meals, receive new toys  and enjoy firecracker displays. Sheng Dan Kuai Le (圣诞快乐) means 'Merry Christmas' in Mandarin. Ham, potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce, cookies, pies and sushi are eaten on this auspicious day.

In India:

Christmas is a state holiday in India, even though Christianity is a minor religion in India, inclusive of only 3%  of the population. In India, Santa Claus is known to be the giver of presents to children from a horse and cart instead of the traditional reindeer. He is known as 'Christmas Baba' in Hindi . Even though it is not widely celebrated as a religious holiday, many shopkeepers use this festive season to their advantage, by decorating and setting up many new promotions.. Days before the festival, markets take a colourful look as they are decorated with traditional Christmas trees, stars, images of Santa, balloons and ornaments. Christians in India decorate mango or banana trees during Christmas time instead of the traditional evergreen coniferous tree. Sometimes they also decorate their houses with mango leaves. In some parts of India, small clay oil-burning lamps are used as Christmas decorations; they are placed on the edges of flat roofs and on the tops of walls. Churches are decorated with poinsettias and lit with candles for the Christmas Evening service. Indians like to eat appams (pancakes made of a batter of rice flour and coconut milk, to be enjoyed with mutton stew, a very typical South Indian delicacy), avial( a thick mixture  of  vegetables, curd and coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves), murukku (a fried pretzel made of lentil and rice flour),athirasam(rice dumplings) and Christmas pudding. Sweets like rose cookies, doughnuts and diamond cuts are usually homemade.

In the United States of America:
The majority of Americans celebrate Christmas with the exchange of gifts and greetings with family. For many, the day begins on Christmas Eve with the Midnight Mass. During Christmas it snows in many states, so dinner is usually eaten indoors. It normally consists of a roast turkey, goose, duck or ham served with cranberry sauce, then plum pudding or pumpkin pie followed by nuts and fruit. For dessert it is rich, fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce. Mince pies, pastry cases filled with a mixture of chopped dried fruit. American homes are decorated with holly, mistletoe and branches of trees and most have a Christmas tree hung with electric lights, tinsel, baubles and strings of popcorn and candy canes. In Colorado, an enormous star is placed on the mountain and can be seen for many kilometres around, while in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a star is lit in early December. Polish Americans on Christmas Eve spread hay on their kitchen floor and under the tablecloth to remind them of a stable and a manger. When they make up the table for dinner two extra places are set up for Mary and the Christ Child in case they should knock at the door to ask for shelter. In Philadelphia, a procession called a mummers parade runs for a whole day with bands, dancers and people in fancy dress. So as you can see American Christmases are the more festive ones, due to the majority of Christians.

Personification style Poem

Wise  Light                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       The lone star shone bright in the sky                                                                                           Bright, everlasting, powerful                                                                                                      waking up at night, sprinting across the sky, caressing the earth with light                                                                                                                It's wise light rubbing off on the dreamers below                                                                                'O' great one, where do you get your light from?