15 September 2012: Listen, Think, Do

Come One, Come All!

This 15 September 2012 (Saturday), BECAUSE will be holding a workshop that’s bound to aspire to inspire. We’ve invited two amazing women to share their inspirational experiences with you!

Find out what initiated a mother of one to care for 33 other children of single mothers, from broken homes and difficult backgrounds; and another who gave up her comfortable life to help refugee families and provide some form of education to their children. Ordinary as they may be, they’re extraordinary in many ways, giving of themselves and dedicating their lives in service to help others in need. Check out the blurbs on these amazing women below and meet these inspirational souls at the upcoming workshop!

1)     Jeanette Chan of Hilla Community Centre, Ampang

Much like the majority of us rushing about our daily lives, Malaysian-born Jeanette Chan and Enoch Kim from Korea, along with their spouses, used to have a hi and bye relationship, never really getting down to having a proper conversation. But a short exchange of words one day resulted in the birth of Hilla Commmunity Centre. Find out what the word ‘hilla’ means and how the community centre came about. From true stories of 35 families living in 700 sq ft apartments, some with two families sharing a unit to curb living expenses; children as young as twelve and eight having to care for their younger siblings and robbed of their childhood; a family who had to wait 22-years before being re-settled under the UNHCR programme; and refugee children deprived of basic education simply because of man-made laws and restrictions, and so much more – here’s a chance for you to hear of the many plights of the refugees – as children, young adults, and parents, and how they cope unable to speak English or Bahasa Malaysia, yet find some way to earn a meager living to sustain their own lives and that of their families.

For Enoch and Jeanette who not only saw with their eyes, but their hearts, it’s been a long and arduous journey yet one that has brought so much hope to many refugees. Meet Jeanette and listen to her share her’s and Enoch’s story of stepping out in faith, giving up their professional careers, their mistakes made, lessons learnt, true stories of human kindness and cruelty, and most of all, the positive changes and goodness that have come out of their earnest mission to help, that simply give them strength to endure all the hardships and overcome hurdles.

2) Madhu Muthuletchumi of Pusat Jagaan Kanak-kanak Sayang, Kampong Tunku

Isn’t it inspiring to hear of people engaging in acts of kindness and showing compassion towards other human beings and life forms? What causes them to partake in these good deeds and help another? Why are they different from others and why do they give of themselves to others when everyone has their own burdens to bear and crosses to carry in life? For Madhu Muthuletchumi, a certified private secretary and a Chennai-trained Indian classical dancer, find out how and why this wife and mother of one, has teamed up with two others to set up Pusat Jagaan Kanak-kanak Sayang, under the Pusat Jagaan Orang-orang Kurang Upaya dan Terbiar Lovely parent organisation.

Ask her about the how’s, why’s, where’s and when’s of the 33 boys and girls aged between six and 18 that she houses and cares for. From providing these children with basic primary and secondary education and a clean and healthy environment to live in, she also employs stay-in caregivers to cook fresh vegetarian home-cooked food daily and even arranges tuition classes on weekdays, plus recreational activities and yoga classes for them at the weekends. As head of the home and much like the no-nonsense Mother Superior, find out how she does it all – running the home and caring for the children, alongside her own responsibilities as wife and mother. Take a trip back with her to the time she was only 16 and already involved in charitable works; the unusual way she met her life partner and got married; and the mysterious ‘light’ that keeps her going and gives her direction. Find out what makes ordinary Madhu extraordinary as she shares of her goals, hopes and dreams for herself, her family and the children at Pusat Jagaan Kanak-kanak Sayang.

Here’s a shout out to people who want to make a difference!  Find out more how to be a more effective volunteer from these amazing women.  For more information on where and when Jeanatte Chan and Madhu Muthuletchumi will be delivering their talks, visit our facebook events page.