Thursday 13 December 2012

Project Coast2Coast Team 14: We're Ready for Iligan =D


The team of 10 others whom I am really glad to have, persevering the tough times and standing firm on our feet and it is my pleasure to announce that, "Yes, we are finally going to Iligan, Philippines!"

From the days I conducted the interviews, to our first meeting and passing through stages where people went and new people came, till today - so much had happened, but nothing had taken away my sense of appreciation for those who have fought hard and worked hard. Let us all not forget what we started out for and keep this in our mind as we go through the 13 days in Philippines and eventually bring these lessons back to Singapore to share with others.

Now, from the beginning...

Remember the 'S' and the 'L' that got us so confused?



And of course, looking at the objectives that the team set out to achieve, I was glad to see that we set out with a BIG HEART and the PASSION to GIVE.



We also had a morning of fun, sweat, getting dirty and learning at Tzu Chi's Recycling event on 11.11.12. That was like a prelude to our visit to the Dumpsite in Iligan City to better understand the living condition of the people living at the Dumpsite.




Kudos to the Team and our Honorary Treasurer for the success in the Singles Mingle Kite Flying to fund raise as well as promote friendship =D Thanks also to all those who turned up that day.




The tough times of having to raise S$16K in the short 2 months or even lesser had finally come to pass, all thanks to the generous supporters, friends and families who have played a big role in us being able to finally set foot on Iligan to carry out the project. Our long wait is finally coming to an end, as we finally packed our logistics and also our feelings together with the boxes.


Certainly, I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Iligan City for welcoming us with their arms wide open. There are also many other people whom I am deeply indebted to, in making this dream come true for us. These are just some of them....


See you all very, very soon, in Iligan! =D


Monday 19 November 2012

Service Learning - Where It All Began for Me

I remembered that expedition vividly and that was the trip-of-a-lifetime - it changed my remaining years of my life.

What is Service Learning?

Service Learning is a methodology integrating community service and reflection to not just allow individuals to understand the importance of service to others (service), but to also grow ourselves (Learning about self and the community we live in).

To find out more about Service Learning and the philosophy that goes behind it, do check out
http://yep.nyc.sg/beapart/yep-service-learning-journey

How Service Learning began in my life....


It started off with a 21-days Service Learning Youth Expedition Project to this Iban Longhouse family in 2000, which included a 17-days' stay in this longhouse. A city girl, barely 19 years old then and there I was, all ready to challenge this Lemanak River with what I had or did not have.

This was the place where I first experience brushing teeth and showering by and in a river. 

This was where I learnt that rain is a Godsend to many other people in this World whereby clear water can be used to wash off the mud that is accumulated on one's body from the daily showering in the muddy river. Rain is a time to bring out the shampoo and soap to shower under the gift from God. Rain is a time to dance in celebration of the good things in life.

This was the place where I picked up real life lessons on humility - looking at how the well the young children climb trees, wield the Changkol, swim across the river that flows faster than I can run on the ground - and realizing that the World out there is so,so, so much bigger than I know.

12 years on, the knowledge and experience I picked up from there had encouraged me to move on to other places to share my love, but this is a place that had not be forgotten...

The river that was our playground, our toilet and our means of getting back to civilisation

To get to this Longhouse takes 3 hours' travel by bus from Kuching Town and another 1 hour upriver by longboat from the longboat pick-up point to the Longhouse. As mysterious as this place is - the Headhunters' history, their beliefs in the spirits of nature, the many unbelievable happenings during our stay there - it also has this tinge of inaccessibility in the era of land-lines rather than mobile phones back then. Thoughts of revisiting were dropped too often as it seemed impossible to get back there on my own.



Being one of the youngest in the team, the more senior team members definitely contributed a lot to who I am today with what they had imparted to me during the short yet memorable 21 days' expedition. They made me want to be like them. It was by no means a simple journey, set out, for giving to the community. It was more than that; it was a journey of exploration and growth.



This first Service Learning project is by far, the toughest of all the projects I have been on, but it had made me a stronger individual. It taught me that I am actually stronger than I think I am, and this had brought me through life very well till now.



Land of the Hornbills, indeed, was amazing. It was not just about building the dam and water piping system. It was also about learning to respect nature, live with nature and allow nature to nurture us as an individual. It was so much, so much more that the city life was unable to provide me with. It was a journey that left me hungry for more.


Beautiful sunset back in Kuching, but it did not manage to take my breath away as
I have met even more beautiful sights and people than this. 


"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." ~ Mahatma Gandhi 

Wednesday 7 November 2012

Project Coast2Coast Team 14 Fundraising Initiatives




Dear friends, families and supporters of Project Coast2Coast,

We are pleased to inform you that Project Coast2Coast is sending its 14th team to Iligan City, Philippines for the Post Typhoon Sendong Recovery Project. The project will be from 15th to 27th December 2012. A total of 11 passionate youths will be involved in helping to rebuild the homeland for the people affected by the Typhoon Sendong which struck Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, close to midnight, on 16th December 2011. The cities, known to be protected by its natural boundaries of large mountains, were caught unaware and unprepared for such a calamity. In Iligan alone, more than 20,000 families were affected.

Destruction of Typhoon Sendong - Landscape and lives are no longer the same

The team will be going to a temporary Internally Displacement Persons (IDPs) Camp in Mandulog, Iligan City, for the residents displaced by the Typhoon, to build 5 water pumps that can provide drinking water for the IDPs. Currently, the IDPs are using the water source of the school next to the Camp. Having clean water supply within the IDP Camp available at anytime of the day will help lessen the worries the able-bodies might have, of their young and elderly members in the family while they are out earning their daily livings.

Our beneficiary

The team has rolled out several fundraising initiatives to raise the funds for the project. Our target is to raise a total of S$16,000 for the team. We would thus like to appeal to your help in our hope of hitting the target of fundraising and helping the residents of the Mandulog IDPs Camp by taking part in one or more of the events/ activities or even simply by helping us to broadcast to those who may be keen to help us out.

Please find the attached posters for more details on the events as well as the URLs that you can find out more about the details of the fundraising initiatives:


1) Sale of towels @ S$12 per piece
Colour: White (80 GSM)
Dimensions: 70cm by 35cm
Cost: S$12.00 per piece


2) 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament


Date: 18 November 2012
Time: 8am to 2pm
Venue: West Coast CC
More details:
http://www.facebook.com/events/512904912054876/


3) Singles Kite Flying
Date: 24 November 2012
Time: 3pm to 7pm
Venue: To be revealed upon confirmation of registration
More details: http://www.facebook.com/events/293062390795464/

4) Ride for Hope by Coast2Coast Team 14
As part of our fundraising effort, the team will attempt a Night cycling from East Coast Park to the Philippines Embassy. For more details of the ride, please do contact the team members of Team 14 directly

For further enquiries/ clarifications, please do not hesitate to check with me at 98735023 or jinnie_lim@hotmail.com

We look forward to your kind support.

For more information about Project Coast2Coast, please do visit www.coast2coast.org.sg

"Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air,  but only one second without Hope." ~ Anonymous

Sunday 5 August 2012

Project Coast-2-Coast, Team 14 is RECRUITING

Project Coast-2-Coast is headed to Iligan City, Philippines this time round....

And we are looking for 20 BIG-hearted and committed individuals to join us on this expedition.

If you know of anyone who might be keen to embark on this journey with us, do share with them and encourage them to come forward, for you never know whose life they will touch deeply.

Project background:
Iligan was hit by Typhoon Sendong, in December 2011, which left more than 1,000 people dead and many missing. It had been many months now since the typhoon, and thousands of families are still in the Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps.

Provincial Capital Cagayan de Oro (CDO) being one of the worst-hit cities along with Iligan during Sendong, received limited help due to its accessibility. With Iligan located 89.8km away from CDO, it received minimal restoration aid.

There are local NGOs working on the ground to restore Iligan, such as SAGIP Iligan, a group of young professionals who had responded to emergency-and post-emergency needs. They are now into helping children get back to school. Help from external NGOs are highly sought after that will play a big part in helping Iligan in post-disaster restoration.


Please do not hesitate to contact Jinnie at jinnie_lim@hotmail.com or 98735023 to get a copy of the application form or to find out more about the project.

About Project Coast-2-Coast
Project Coast2Coast, under the umbrella of the then West Coast Citizens' Consultative Committee (CCC) [now renamed as Ayer Rajah-West Coast CCC], was initiated in January 2005, shortly after the tsunami. It was a community-based overseas humanitarian expedition programme aimed at providing good overseas learning opportunities to local volunteers so as to inculcate in them a sense of public spiritedness, global social responsibility and also to enhance their inter-personal, project management and leadership skills. 

Check out the projects that we have done on http://coast2coast.org.sg/projects.html

“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” Mother Teresa

Sunday 22 July 2012

The School with No Walls

21st July 2012, I set off on a journey, with the folks from PAC and a 38th SSEAYP batchmate Yoki, from Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, to Kampong Speu Province, some 40 over kilometres away.

The mission for the journey was to check out the 'school with no walls, and the village where there is no formal school' - which means, the children have no school to study in.

Journey with us, as we unveil the story behind the school with no walls...

The village and school is in Kompong Speu province, Oral District, Rasmey Samaki Commune, Peam Ros Village. It is slightly over 68km along National Road 4 from Phnom Penh and about 30km along the red dirt road; I would say, it's a really long journey.

The red dirt road seemed unending as we drove past countless potholes and finally, after the gruelling 2 over hours, we arrive at this place which crops spread through the horizon.




The nearest school which we passed, on the dirt road, is about 10 over kilometres from this village. This village consists of approximately 80 over families, and a total population of over 200. There are 79 children in this village. We proceeded to visit one of the families to understand about their background. 

This is the house that we are visiting - look at the walls. Have you ever thought of living in such a Home?

PAC is providing jobs to the families in this village, by getting the parents to work on the crops, and at the same time, building new homes to house these families. This house lives a family with 6 children. 



And next to this house....

The sickly old grandmother, who is paralysed on one side of her body,
lies in the hut, susceptible to the weather.

We asked the children of the family if they can write and only 1 girl was able to show us what she can do. , This little girl is able to write Cambodian consonants and vowels upon our request. We were surprised and it seems that the family stayed in Prey Veng years back and moved to Kampong Speu because the former employer at Prey Veng did not pay them to work on the crops. The girl had education till Grade 4 but had to stop when they moved to this village, as there is no government school for the children to go to.

The girl could also write most English alphabets, and some with prompts.


When asked if she wants to go to school, we could see that her eyes lit up. It really pains to see these children who have so much potential to learn and who wants to learn, but have no school to go to. Now this girl goes to the community school in the village, to study in Grade 2, which is the highest grade that the community school is providing for the villagers. While the young girl goes to school after lunch, we spotted the elder brother of this girl, working on the crops amongst some other children and youths, to earn income for the family.


Many of them said that they want to study, but there is no school and
they have to work to bring money back home for their parents. 



Finally, we made our way to 'the school with no walls' to take a look.


The young children, mostly girls were at the school. The skeletal frame of the school looks good but there are no walls.


This community school conducts Grade 1 and 2 lessons for the children and is conducted by the wife of the Village chief, for free. It is a school for any age, even some parents who pop into the class to learn. Children who were previously in higher grades, can only drop back to Grade 2, if they are attending this school.


And look who we spotted, the little girl who amazed us at her house earlier.
She cycled about 1 over kilometre with her little sister to attend school. Shy girl but she is enthusiastic
in answering my questions for the short 10 minutes I spent with the children in numerals 1 to 10


We are now looking for donors who can, at the shortest time, help sponsor to plank up the walls so that the classes will be sheltered from the harsh weather during lessons, before someone or some organisation takes on the project to build a permanent school building for this village.


In the long run, we are looking at potential organisations who are keen to take on the project to build a concrete building with 3 classrooms for this village. PAC will help to source for donors to employ and pay teachers to teach the children.


If you are keen to help, please do not hesitate to contact me at jinnie_lim@hotmail.com and we can work out more details.

All these would not have been possible without the folks of PAC (Poverty Alleviation Cambodia), an NGO as well as 38th batch SSEAYP mate, Yoki. Let's work towards a better world for everyone.


On Education: "If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people." ~ Confucius

Thursday 19 July 2012

Rabbits - Rabbit School (Phnom Penh)


The Rabbit School; I wonder why this school that caters to people with special needs is named after the Rabbit. I supposed it will have something to do with the significance of Rabbits and I found these explanations to be the most in line with what I would believe.

House rabbits symbolize 'Bravery' as they defend their territory against human, cats or dogs. Rabbits are also seen as 'Service to others', being a 'prey' to predators in real life as well as the 'pray' imagery when they bring their paws in front of their faces to wash themselves. Rabbit as a companion to human beings has also been seen as teaching one about 'Unconditional love' and 'Compassion for life'. Finally, rabbits have the symbolical meaning of 'Playfulness' and 'Joy'.  ~  http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-11/symbol.html

Certainly, these are what I actually learn from these people with special needs after working with them for the past 5 over years.

The Rabbit School is founded in May 1997. It is located within the premise of National Borey for Infants and Children, and is the only school in Cambodia that caters to children and people with special needs. The school is located in Phnom Penh and thus the students may come from all provinces of Cambodia. There are also mainstream schools that included students with special needs that the Rabbit School work closely with in order to allow these people with special needs to have the best services they can.


After speaking to the Head Teacher, Mr Hun Touch, I sensed his struggles to equip the teachers and staff with the necessary skills to work with the children as well as his worries for the future and quality of the programs for the students due to possible lack of funds in the coming years. 

Mr Hun Touch welcomes support and help in the following aspects (however, this list is not exhaustive)


1) Teacher and staff training/ sharing by trained personnel
- Most of the staff in the Centre are not certified. They are very versed in the practical aspects of working
  with the students, however they need more theoretical knowledge of people with special needs such as
  understanding what Autism is about.

2) Fund raising (work on how they can raise more funds)
- Currently, some of the projects such as the Rabbit Cafe had to stop functioning in the town of Phnom Penh
  due to funding issues from donors.

3) Volunteers
- The Centre is hoping to have a constant pool of volunteers who can help out with working on the children

Pre-vocational training at Rabbit Cafe - Paper Beads Bear

How can you help?
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me if you think you have any ideas/ organisations/ projects/ people who can help the Centre in providing for the children with special needs. Like what Mr Hun Touch had also said, it all starts from advocacy, with the awareness, help will come more easily.

The next time you are in Cambodia, I will urge all of you to drop by the Centre to volunteer your service.

“Accept the children the way we accept trees—with gratitude, because they are a blessing—but do not have expectations or desires. You don’t expect trees to change, you love them as they are.”  ~ Isabel Allende

Saturday 30 June 2012

The Special People

Seattle Special Olympics
A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100 yard dash.
At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race, to the finish, and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over, and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back. Every one of them. One girl with down’s syndrome bent down and kissed him and said," this will make it better."
Then all nine linked arms, and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and cheered; the cheering went on for several minutes.
People who were there are still telling the story. 
This may not be an entire true story, but for one like me who works with people with special needs, this story actually tells of the courage of our athletes. Winning is secondary, but to be out there to show the World what they can do and to be given the opportunity to be out there; these make a lot of different to the special needs community.
They may be different, but they can do it, as long as WE believe in them. 


Special Olympics is an organisation providing sporting opportunities for people with intellectual disability. It inculcates the importance of allowing people with special needs to showcase their sporting ability to the community out there.
Special Olympics had programs over 170 countries and if you are keen to volunteer, please do not hesitate to call in at any of the Special Olympics office near you.


Special Olympics -  http://www.specialolympics.org/
Special Olympics Singapore - http://www.specialolympics.org.sg/

http://youtu.be/HTNVXlirF4Y - Don't Laugh At Me (Something that I always share with my students)



"Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt" ~ Special Olympics Oath

Wednesday 27 June 2012

Friends of Peaceful Children Home - A Sponsorship program



Peaceful Children's Home is a place where happiness can be found in abundance, but do you know that these happiness actually make my heart ache so much, so much? When I thought that life had not been fair to me, God allowed me to meet these 'Angels' who soon became part of my life journey.

These children make my heart ache for them
When they show no emotions when I asked them about them visiting their real families
When they tell you that their only Home is Peaceful Children's Home, not anywhere else
When they long to go home, in the arms of their real family, but they cannot

Looking at them made me ask why these children have to go through so much, just as a child
When they have to use lit candle to study in the dimly lit dormitory room
When the 13, 14 year agers tell me their favourite food is Hamburger when I expected something more
When they tell me they want to be doctors and lawyers so that they can help their people, their country

Hard their life journey may be; they never fail to keep my heart warm
Seeing their smiles, no matter how difficult things may be
Witnessing their love, for their little brothers and sisters at the Home
Hearing them say "see you again" sincerely at every departure, even though that 'again' may not come
Feeling their appreciation, no matter how small the gift they received is
Watching them pick themselves up, despite falls in the course of chasing their dreams

Friends of Peaceful Children's Home (FOPCH) is a Sponsorship program started in Holland for individuals to sponsor a child on a monthly basis. The amount sponsored will go to the food, daily necessities, medical and school materials. Do take a moment to read on and find out more about the Homes and the children.

FOPCH is looking for more sponsors, and if you are keen to sponsor, please do not hesitate to contact any of us to find out more or even to find out how you can make a trip down to the Homes to visit these lovely children and place:

Feikje (Netherlands) - FeikjeL@hetnet.nl
Linden (Italy) - LindenH@alice.it
Jinnie (Singapore) – jinnie_lim@hotmail.com
Adeline (Singapore) - ilovetolaugh_@hotmail.com


These Angels had taught me so much about Life and Living and I hope, these little things that I do for them, can help them even more in life.









"We can do no great things, only small things with great love" ~ Mother Theresa

Tuesday 19 June 2012

Peaceful Children's Home 1 and 2, Cambodia

A little preview of Peaceful Children Homes, Cambodia (Home 1 in Kandal Province and Home 2 in Battambang Province). The Homes are run by the Khmer Foundation for Justice, Peace and Development.

http://vimeo.com/9878962

A day at the Peaceful Children Home from Joachim Ottow on Vimeo.

Cambodia, the place that is close to my heart

The Kingdom of Cambodia is an independent country with a population of more than 7 million people. With a surface area of 181,035 sq. km and once a French colony, is the least known Indochinese country. Cambodia has a distinct geographical personality: it is a wide basin surrounded by highlands. In this basin the farmer has created a simple life - an original civilization and philosophy of mildness. Cambodia is divided into 20 provinces and 4 cities.


Cambodia was once know as “The Pearl of Asia”. As a consequences of the War in Vietnam, the Khmer Rouge cam to power. During their 5-year reign of terror, 2-3 million people died and the country was left devastated.

Today, Cambodia remains to be one of the poorest countries in Asia, with hundreds and thousands of orphans and street children. ~ http://www.asiatravel.com/cambinfo.html
The Kingdom of Cambodia is fondly known as my Second home. Sandwiched between Vietnam, Thailand and Laos; it is a little known country even to Asians. Not known to many is also that this Kingdom has a charm that cannot be put into words. Many friends asked, "Why does Cambodia attract you so much?", I always reply, "Visit it and you will know why, it has a charm that needs to be experienced first hand."


And yes, I had been charmed.

Charmed by its people... Their smiles, their happiness regardless how hard life had been on them...



Charmed by its landscape... The serenity, the peace, the calmness...



Charmed by its history... the majestic, the tough times and how its people overcame the difficulties...



Most importantly, I am charmed by these people who have so much impacted my life... The people of Peaceful Children's Home (Khmer Foundation for Justice, Peace and Development)



To find out more about these children and how you are able to help them, do stay tuned to the next post...

Till then...

Sunday 12 February 2012

Finding Your Strongest Life

Picked up this book, Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham, a few weeks ago. In fact, I was looking for some other books to read when I chanced upon this book. Attractive title and when I read the synopsis and the reviews, I was WOWED and I decided I am not going to put this book back on the Library shelves.

I am glad I borrowed the book for it is one of the most powerful book that I certainly had read thus far.


The first take-away:
This book shows how two person undergoing the same life courses can have varying feel and outcomes based on the decisions and choices they have made when they encounter needs to make decisions/ choices. It tells us the importance of making choices based on our 'strongest moments'. 



There are times when the path ahead may seem uncertain but if we feel strongly in moving ahead, we should. Even if it may not lead us to anyway we thought it, we will not look back in our old age one day and regret that we have not taken that path.

The second take-away:
It is a fine line between doing the right things and doing what we want to do and the former usually drains us of our energy because of us trying to strike a balance. In all our lives, many of us try to strike a balance in all that we do, because that SHOULD be the right way, but this book tells us to find the imbalance in life - to go for what we really want to do and believe in.



The third take-away:
Work on our strengths rather than weaknesses. Focusing at a person's strength enhances and magnifies them, the same goes for focusing on our weaknesses. Focus on what we can do best and let the weaknesses stay in the background.



The fourth and most important take-away:
Finding out my own 'roles'. Take the Strong Life Test at stronglifetest.com and find out your lead and supporting roles you are born to play which makes you feel good and how you can make better choices in life based on these roles. 



The 9 Roles of Women


My lead role is: Creator (which surprises me) 


My supporting role is: Advisor
From the book:  "If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough." ~ Oprah Winfrey