78 days after and today.

When you wave goodbye,

boarding on the plane home,

back to the life you're familiar with.

Somehow, feelings and emotions gained from new journey stays. 

 

Even better, friendship stays and continue to grow.

78 days have passed from our volunteering journey.

(Love Without A Border- Thailand and Myanmar) 

Click me to read our adventures :)

I question myself,

what changes have volunteering brought to my life?

To your life?

After seeing the plight of others,

and the urge to help them,

Read all the digging work here! :P

because together, 

we make lives better.

And today, 

with all the hard work and funding from our 725 team,

We have finally made it happen!

The base for the water tanks we digged together and the funding has provided a reliable water mini-tower system for the villagers of Wai Ler Mu :)

37500 litres of water is saved for all villagers to use!

well done team :)

A big thank you to our leader Chong as well!

Continue to monitor the building process of water tanks while we already head back to Malaysia.

Mr Chong (Right hand side)
Friendship Without A Border.

 From carrying the supplies over the river to Myanmar, 

to buying food supplies for the village,

 And how can anyone forget?

8 hours of bumpy hill roads from Chiangmai to the borders of Thailand! 

It was all worth it.

Before I flew to Thailand to start this volunteering journey, 

I panicked.

I have no idea what it's like to live in the wilds and camping,

I have no idea how to spend the night with mosquitos and torchlight,

I have no idea what it's like to cross the borders,

I have no idea what I should do to really help them,

But I am really glad to step out from comfort zone once again 

and 

it completely changed my life.

The sudden realisation,

city animals like us took water and electricity for granted completely.

I mean sure, you pay the bills you get water and light.

But what about places where

even if you wanted to pay but there just ain't proper systems at all. 

Sudden realisation #2

I can actually be a vegetarian for 4 days?!

Hey when you're up in the mountains and there were only vegetables, 

just eat what you have! 

And surprisingly till today,

it led me to an every week grocery trip to Lidl  (supermarket)with bags full of vegetables

because fresh vege got eaten up really fast! :D

Sudden realisation #3

Everyone around me has a story to be told.

Even the lovely tuk-tuk driver lady has story to share with me.

A strong, independent woman she is. 

"You look very young! How old are you?"

"Ah no no! I'm 21, but we are all young!"

"Hahaha, my son is 20! He is going to university soon!"

"Ah you must be very happy!"

"Yes, very happy. I only live with my two sons. Very happy he can study more. And now I drive tuk-tuk, more free time with sons."

The power of love.

#Learning to listen.

Because I learnt so much more from stories of volunteering friends, villagers, local Thai people and so much more.

#Continue to listen.

Just like what Jean, one of our awesome volunteering mates shared with us,

"Volunteering is like a relay marathon,

every month every volunteering group is sent to the borders,

but we all share the same purpose, 

building all our strengths together and continue every month passing on care and concern 

and ultimately, brought happiness to the village

Volunteering, connecting more caring people together."

78 days have passed.

What is your new story to be shared and told? :)

Today,

I am proud and honoured to be representing Malaysia in attending One Young World summit.

What is One Young World you may ask?

• UK-based not-for-profit that gathers together the brightest young people from around the world, empowering them to make lasting connections to create positive change. 
• Stage an annual Summit where the most valuable young talent from global and national companies, NGO's, universities and other forward-thinking organisations are joined by world leaders, acting as the One Young World Counsellors.
• At the Summit, delegates debate, formulate and share innovative solutions for the pressing issues the world faces

Click me to find out more about OYW!

I sincerely hope to share with more delegates regarding the issue on the borders of Thailand and Myanmar and the concern of education opportunities for less privileged children.

Jelly's OYW Profile

Hope to be inspired by talented and passion young delegates from 190 countries! 

From education focus, refugees, politics, environment,

we are all gathered here, today at One Young World, Dublin Ireland :)

Pre-conference gathering night (Thanks to the British Irish Chamber of Commerce and Irish ambassadors who organised it!)






 And my sponsor to the One Young World conference 2014,
Puan Sri Datin Agnes Chan Pui Leorn from Malaysia.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to reach out for more opportunities!
Her great vision in hoping more young Malaysians in joining community development has truly inspired me.

With help and support from caring people such as Puan Sri,
One Young World is a great platform for all to gather and make impact to our country Malaysia, to the world, to ourselves.

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Read, share and make an impact.
Also big thank you for wonderful friends who inspired me throughout,
from designing logos (Thank you Audrey!),
giving me advices,
encouraging me on blogging,
so much to appreciate!

So stay tune to this blog and I will be sharing my experiences in One Young World conference very soon :)

孩子

"记得 秋天 冬天天气冷 穿暖和一些"

“别那么省 别饿着肚子 知道吗"

"容易发热气就记得要煮妈妈买好的药材喔"

"身体健康最最最重要" (不断重复..)

"孩子, 别哭. 出国读书 是好事 知道吗?" 

"孩子, 每个人都会有一段孤单的岁月, 要学着去embrace那一个人生活的日子;

 因为自由自在地生活, 就是你现在拥有的绝对权利."

"孩子,

孩子,

孩子."

从小我们, 很幸福成为他们的孩子,

让我们在他们的怀里温暖, 健康地成长.

可是20来岁叛逆的种子渐渐成长,

孩子厌倦了一成不变,

渴望外面世界的挑战, 新鲜.

"妈, 我要出国读书."

我们心里很清楚, 即将带来的改变, 带给他们的改变.

"妈, 学费麻烦你了"

你知道 没有他们 你根本完成不了这个梦想.

"妈 请你别小看我 我绝对可以半工半读"

你硬着头皮 还有那份死骨气 跟他们吵架

你想靠自己 你想减轻他们的负担

但可爱的他们

却从未视你 为负担.

"妈 行李我会收好啦 你别弄了"

他们好担心你

怕你想吃家乡零食

怕你年轻旺盛 忘了带药品 药材 保健品照顾自己

其实心里知道行李被他们插手整理得快超重了

那满满的爱 关心

怎不重

" 妈 我的飞机是凌晨1点"

手里拿着飞机票

心里开始挂着家

她看着时间的渐进

心里越来越挂着你

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

你来到了新的国度

开始自己的梦想自由生活

自由自在地到处流浪

什么国家的朋友都有

想吃什么就吃

想去哪就去哪

想做什么就做什么

可是好像又缺少了什么

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

妈妈,

孩子, 想家了.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

今天孩子在国外生活

隔离残酷的7小时时差 与你在同个地球生活

浓浓的思念

一定可以 化为我们在异乡的奋斗力量

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

妈妈,

孩子, 会努力.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

今天孩子有福气在这里读书

我们靠的只不过是自己的学业成绩

但有福气成为你们的孩子

一定是 上辈子修来的好多好多的福气

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

妈妈,

孩子, 会勇敢.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

这一刻 孩子会抹干思念的眼泪

把眼泪留着

毕业典礼那天.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

妈妈,

孩子, 好爱你.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

肉麻话我们不会说,

但这一份亲情 彼此都能感受彼此的爱

即使一个在亚洲 一个在欧洲

距离 是什么 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

孩子

会学着 成为一个更好的人.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

因为

妈妈在马来西亚努力

孩子 在爱尔兰努力

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

献给 所有

在世界各地

努力中的孩子. 

努力中的

你

.

加油, 孩子们!

725- A well for all. 2nd hill tribe village

Alright team! Let's set out for our next task- Dig a well for the village! 

Make that two wells cos we split our big group to two teams :D

Same ol' same, we drove towards the border of Thailand from our camping site, took a boat and crossed towards the border of Myanmar.

Getting all the food supplies, digging tools ready!

Just in case you're wondering, why are we moving so much things?

Read me! Officially leaving the city behind!

But this time,

this village seemed to be even more worse than the first village we've been.

No sign of brick houses.

Even crappier toilets, somehow with just a hole with few leaves or wood planks covering outside while you settle your 'business'.

P/s The toilets above are the most luxurious one, which is at the entrance of the village. The worst ones are behind. Go on, keep on reading the article first :P

First we gather under the little hut near the entrance of the village, 

the village leader seemed to be discussing some serious errands with our group leader Mr Chung.

The location of wells I suppose? 

  While some of us played some chess and kill time instead! haha

Very original! David and Yee Ling :D 

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Discussion finished,

supplies all packed,

and here we go team! 

The lads are lucky enough to sit on cars...

While some of us sat on the most special transportation ever...

*Photo credits to KS Chay *

*Photo credits to KS Chay * 

It was surprisingly fun! 

For city animals like us, we didn't have a chance to sat on transportation like this before!

"Watch out! Deep mud hole ahead! Keep your feets up people!"

"Hold on! curve road ahead! Better don't fell out of the carriage!"

"Ahhhh some mud got on me!"
"Hahahaha good thing we wore sandals! Looks like we're gonna enjoy some mud pedicure today!"

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Here's where the real fun kicks in.

As you can see, houses in this village were merely built with woods, roofs made with leaves.

The living condition is far off than the first village we went.

Our mission is to dig at least 2 wells for them,

at least the villagers won't have to collect rain water for drinking purpose.

At least, 

the water from well would be a much better alternatives.

Why not use the water from mountains you might ask? Just like the first village?

Well, let's just say luck wasn't on their side as the village is not well geographically located near the mountains.

Plus, 

the village area  is very wide spread, hence water resources is not reachable to every household.

This well was previously done by volunteers and villagers.

And nope, it's still not the end.

The villagers still had to keep on digging deeper for water resources.

We couldn't even see the end of it!


Just. For. That. Cup. Of. Drinkable. Water.

First, we carried out a bit of site observation,
just to get a glimpse of what a 'well' should look like.

Second,
we split out team in two groups. The A and B.
Honestly saying, limited manpower is used while digging a well.
A well capacity can only fit no more than 3 person,
while the others wait aside for takeovers.

But luck wasn't on our side,
a sudden rain pour made the team to put aside of the task first as digging gets difficult.
Somehow,
in every scenario, a little sunlight and warm shed in.

The old lady quickly gathered as much rain waters as she could.
Without much consideration,
she led us stayed in her little hut for a while, just to avoid the rain.

Knowing that how precious rain water are to her,
she generously offered us the water for us to wash the muds off our body,
wash our hands,
clean the dishes.
(Of course we tried to use as less water as possible)

We do not speak the same language.
Neither Thai, neither Karen, neither English.

But love and kind to one another says it all.

And I will always remember the kind look on the old lady's face.
Knowing that, sharing, is such a simple and noble act,
 despite of your background or current living situation.

If she is willing to share, when she barely have anything,
what more excuses could we have?

Even the children in this village (just like the previous village children) decided to pop in and help :)

They really are angels.
:)

Of course, how could we forget the lads in our team!
Ray, David and Joe.
I remember when we started out the digging work,
the lads worked relentlessly and forbidding us girls to step in the digging zone.

Why?
cos there were red ants, ants, ants everywhere!
Sorry that you guys got bitten by ants a lot :(

But thank you!
we really appreciate that,
you guys truly are, the gentlemen of the year! (Thumbs up)
Aaaand that's why we girls should get the lunch ready for you guys hahaha

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Alright,
here's comes a little problem.
Some of us had to 'settle-own-business'
... .... ... ...
No sign of toilets anywhere,
so we asked the old lady, through body language

Body language: Putting hands on stomach, with sad faces, squatting down 
(I hope it's obvious enough!!!)

The old lady laughed with joy,
haha! the body language worked!

And she showed us where it was,
and we were shocked when we saw how it was.

*Photo credits by YeeLing*

It basically was a hole in ground.
With flies flying around.
And few wood pieces around it.
That's all I could describe.

Imagine,
how lucky we were,
to have comfy toilets to settle our business! (cry in appreciation)

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Back to work!
No harm having a bit of fun :D

We call this...
"Alice the pretty prisoner working on her daily digging task while being observed by 5 supervisors"

Good craic ;)

We even had a chance to drink some water from one of the wells which have been done.

We were quite reject towards it at first,
after all,
drinking water directly from a well? Seriously Mr Chung?!

When you're in Rome,
do what the Romans do.

And I was glad I drank some of the water from the well,
it actually taste pretty okay...
Much much better than rain water of course!

We then head to the local schools there,
where food supplies, stationeries will be distributed.

Once again, I would like to thank donors from Malaysia and Ireland,
With your help,
we have successfully distributed packs of rice noodles to TWO villages.

The children could now enjoy warm meals in schools :)

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*Photo credits to Adelene*

People say we were volunteers, with great love to help those in need.
But little we know,
the villagers are the ones who truly helped and inspired us all.

Everything in life,
every small little things,
from water, electricity, roof over our head, comfy bed even to comfy toilets,
suddenly became all so precious.

Things which we used to take for granted,
people we loved whom we used to take for granted.

See the lil angel in the picture?
She was playing in a pool full of mud after the rain pour,
she looked so content of the lil playground she has!
And that's how simple it is.

What more can you ask in life?


Be kind to one another- Ellen DeGeneres

725- Let's do this! 1st hill tribe village.

Just a bit before we reach this village,

that's how we managed to cross to the other side border...

And NOW,

the start of 1st day voluntary work... With "nature-style" alarm clock,

or what I would like to call it as 'rooster-howling'!

Woke up with a pretty sore backache, as we are all not used to sleep on hard wooden floors...

But no time for complaints! hurry up, time for breakfast! And get to work!

We quickly had a tour around the village we stayed in.

The local schools are run as boarding schools,

as children lived far away from schools, some may take up hours of walking just to get to school.

It is a good news to know that there are funded schools and dormitories for boys and girls :)

The girls' dormitory.

Getting fresh up for the day.

The girls' just sat beside to enjoy their breakfast instead...

Had a quick tour of their kitchen.

The children take two meals a day, which are 7:00 am and 4:00pm.

And from what I see, 

their meals are mostly the same. 

Big rice bowl with plenty of vegetables.

Vegetables planted by themselves, 

or collected from the mountains.

Here's a video showing you the plantation farm run by local children :)

Breakfast spotcheck! hehehe

The children are mostly shy, which makes them even more adorable!

Now that I think of the children in my local orphanage in JB,

boy... They really are a bunch of outgoing and crazy ones! :P

We then carry on and saw...

On-going construction of new school! 

I couldn't resist the feeling of leaping in joy!

Probably because of living in wooden houses and crappy environment, 

seeing such a well building being built for education makes me even cherish more and felt happy for the children.

We then carry on our journey,

walking beside lush and greenery forests.

And yes, we're still under close observation by the armed forces. 

Or what I would like to put as, positively, we're being protected! 

Passing by the principal's house, lovely little hut isn't it? :)

The local 'kedai runcit"/ mini grocery store with armed security! Even better than our local supermarkets, lol! 

With much introduction touring the village, 

here's where the real fun kicked in.

Our task for this village:

To dig a square shaped base for the built of water tower.

Water tower is then used for storing water collected from the mountains.

As shown from the picture above, long blue pipes were everywhere in the village. 

With perseverance, funding and three years' of hard work done by Mr Chong and volunteers,

the village is able to assemble long, blue water pipes and 

successfully obtained water from the mountains to the village,

with a 8 KM long of water pipes, that is.

Just to get clear and drinkable water, that is.

Aaaand that's where (the mountain part) the village got their water resources from.

And to think back of our metropolitan life,

we were troubled by the number of toilets, basins in our house, whether it is enough so that we don't have to fight over toilets,

even troubled by the different designs we should choose for our basins.

Whereas somebody else on the other side of the earth were worrying whether they could get clear drinking water today, tomorrow, or never. 

Now that we know their situation,

let's just lend a helping hand and see what we can do for them.

Here's a video of us starting the work..

We then continue to dig, dig, and dig...

Conclusion: Digging seems easy, but it ain't easy!

Luckily there are locals helping us out, 

(probably thinking...)

"Are you kiddin' me? No way are they going to get this done by dawn! Why are these city people so weak? Don't they need to dig at their homes for water at all?"

(Just pure imagination in my head) 

Even the children decided to stop their games and help instead!

These little angels do whatever they could,

even with their little effort, 

dug the soil with their bare little hands,

but little they know,

deep down, that's the real spirit of human being.

A little help doesn't count as little,

as long we are willing to give a helping hand to those in need.

Because a little from me and a little from you,

that would sum up as a pretty BIG little ;)

Oh and no harm having a bit of fun with the children while slacking away from the digging work hehehe

Say HI to my new Karen friends, Naw Hser and Naw Mit! :)

They may seem like ordinary teenagers to you, or typical high school age students.

But somehow, these two little girls have inspired me so much more.

From a far, local village away from modern education neccesities, 

they are still able to socialise and speak a few good sentences of English with me.

And how friendly they are! 

And I do hope, one day,

they would continue their journey of learning, 

empowering, inspiring more young women in the village for further education.

This reminds me of my favourite author, Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, 

in her book Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to lead,

 

she wrote:

'The courage to reach for more opportunities, sit at more tables and believe more in ourselves.'

Interested to find out more about Lean In?

Join the Lean In community here!

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Because a group photo is a MUST despite of the glaring sunshine and unbearable hot weather!

And a MUST after all the hard work done!

We then head back to our old school camping site..

As a volunteer English teacher at my orphanage, 

I couldn't resist seeing something new paste on the notice board...

Haha! EXAMS! 

I am very pleased to see the variety of subjects offered in school, 

Hygiene, English, Math, Myanmar language and etc,

well done! 

:)

Another shy boy leaning beside watching us ;)

She. Is. Just. Too. Adorable!

You might be curious, 

a place with no internet connection, sometimes without phone line at all,

or even to the basic - lights,

what does the children do to spend their free time?

Well, let's see,

planting, studying, played some games, cooking, cleaning and 

singing! 

Meet the boy band of Wai Ler Mu village.

And as promised in the previous article, 

here's the video of the children singing while we arrived to the village on the first day.

And yes I couldn't help and went 'kacau' the sleeping one behind nyehehehe

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The sign outside the old school.

Never. Never. Never. Never. Never. Give Up.

A big thank you for readers who showed interest to our volunteering activities,

likewise,

if you're keen to participate, theres always volunteer activity carried out by Mr Chong every month, departing from Chiangmai, Thailand. 

And to different tribe village for different purposes.

For example, some may require water resources, light, solar power and etc.

Click me to our Facebook Group- Love Without A Border to find out more!

Stay tuned on this blog for our next mission to the other village, 

where their situation is in need of a more desperate help than we imagine....