'my experience' from Azratul Farhan

Today was a very beautiful day for me. I was involved in a charity activity at Tengku Budriah Charity Home at Cheras (service-learning activity) and it was very fun and interactive. With lots of children of age from 11 to 12 years old around me, i felt like i was in the kindergarten back 10 years before. hehe...

first arriving there, we were greeted by the guardian and caregivers and it felt so welcoming!! =) We started the activity with a welcoming talk from Farah and Doon. They were so fun and the children keep gigling and laughing with their humour. We also did not forget to support them by joining the activity. They set up a rule for the children to obey along the activities were carried out. All the children seem to love them.

Then, we were singing songs and playing games. It was so enjoyable, and all the children and the volunteers were taking part in it. Next, we also did a skit on bully.. it was a continuous skit, where we will continue the skit every time we get there. The children being so silent during the skit was being played in front of them.

One of the trainer told us that the silence situation show us that all the children were connected to it (I mean bully).. the children may have experienced the same situation as what was being played in the skit before.

So, next activity should be the most important part in this session. It was the lesson part, was conducted by me (Azra) and Aisyah. We was told to emphasize the meaning of bully to them. So, we started the lesson with asking them how was the skit.. They answered that it was fantastic. Then, we defined what is bully to them. Since, they were children and we thought maybe they may have some difficulties to understand us, we then showed them some bullying act and asked them whether it is a bully act or not. Then, we taught them the lessons for that day.. we hope that they really could understand very well and got the message that we want to tell them at the end of the day.

Journaling time comes next. Actually, it was the time for us to know them closely one by one. And, my group got the male bullies kids. We took the challenge to know them, and to open an oppurtunity for them to share their problems or experinced maybe. But, since it was our first session with them, we didn't expect it too much. The session worked out very well and i could say that most of the children do have a very good creativity and very artistic!!!they even a better artist than us, i could say..

Now, i come to the part where i want to share a story told by one of the children there. The children is a little girl named A. She is 12 years old and just entered the home 2 months ago. She said that her parents were not married and they were involved in pre-marital sex. She is the only child and she told me she felt so lonely staying in the home. Most of the girls there had been staying there for a quite long time compared to her. So, she was being left out and she was being bullied by them. A did share her story with me that she is waiting for any relatives to take her home. But, it seems that no one willing to take care of her. ( i felt so sad as i was thinking that she just like my lil sis, almost the same age). =(I gave her some advices to comfort her and make her feel better. And, i even give her ways on how to avoid the bullies. I felt so closed to her and in the end she did ask me when we will come back there. She said she will always wait for us~~

This was the best starter for me to carry one with this life-long journey of improving my self by helping others in need.I do love this activity so much and i hope the children will have the courage to share their problems with us.Then, maybe we can help them to overcome it..
Thank you..Azratul Farhan.