Beyond Social Services

Went for a Volunteering assignment yesterday.

Helping out in Beyond Social Services in this LIFE (Learning is Fun and Exciting) programme which aims to inculcate in children from disadvantaged backgrounds and who are behind the mainstream children of their age a love for learning.

They are not the usual kids you will see in schools etc. Behind their young innocent appearance, you can feel that they are constantly battling the problems faced at homes, be it drugs abuse by family members, physical abuse from family members. Poor performance in school isn't really what they would like either; to be scorned by the school and society as delinquents who will be a burden to the society. I guess these families are the lower tier families in our ever increasing widening income gap.

Frankly speaking, I felt kinda guilty when I see these little kids still putting up a brave front even when problems at home are never-ending. We are always complaining about things which we have but never have enough. I wonder how i can handle the problems should I be in their shoes.

To help them with their work is the least I can do for them. Befriending them is the challenge. To get their trust and respect which they have no idea about from living in an environment under constant fear and doubt. To sacrifice that bit of my time from projects, assignments and personal commitments in exchange for a worthy cause, I am sure it's definitely worth it.

How fulfilling would it be to be in the homeward train, tired in the physical being but refreshing in the inner self.

Yesterday was only the first session. Hope the future sessions will be good as well.