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Award-winning non-profit organisation, Malaysian Humanitarian Foundation (“MHF”) is working closely with Malaysia’s leading educational non-profit organisation, Teach for Malaysia (“TFM”) in identifying students from B40 households to offer scholarships to attend SuperCamp.
For the December edition which ran from 18
to 22 December 2023 at Paradise Valley Broga Resort, Semenyih, Selangor, seven
(7) students from several schools within Klang Valley were shortlisted by TFM
to attend SuperCamp.
“We
work on a system to extend opportunities like this to students from the
underserved communities. Not having the resources to attend programmes like
this should not hinder you from unlocking your full potential and achieving
greatness in the future. We hope that from 2024 onwards, we can extend the
scholarships to at least 50 students annually,” Henry Teh
Kok Kheng, Executive Director of MHF (郑国庆) says.
Empowering the future leaders of Malaysia
Vassenthen A/L Devendren, 16, was filled with excitement to be
selected for SuperCamp. The SMK (L) Methodist Sentul student candidly shares
that his self-esteem took a hit during the transition from a Tamil school to a
national school after his UPSR, which left him dissatisfied with the result. He
also feels less confident due to his larger physical build.
Photo Caption: Vassenthen wants to make
his mother, Mogana Sunthari proud by doing well at school.
“I was disappointed to receive my UPSR
result and decided to make a change. I started following a strict regime where
I only allowed minimal time to rest and spend time with my family. Being the
eldest in my family also means that I have the big brother role to play,” he
says. He also continues to study Tamil subjects to honour his Indian heritage
as he aspires to excel in his mother tongue, while improving his proficiency in
English and Bahasa Melayu.
His mother, Mogana Sunthari A/P Govindan, 41 is also surprised to see how much
time Vassenthen spends in his room studying. “Everyday, after school he
retreats to his room to study. Sometimes, he only texts or calls me on the
phone when he wants to eat. I can see that he is driven to be successful in the
future, so I’ll continue to support him,” she says. “Interestingly, though, he
doesn't aspire to become a doctor! He mentioned that the COVID-19 experience
has truly scared him!”
Another scholar from SMK Seksyen 27, Shah
Alam, Maizatulakma Lisa Aqilah Abdullah,
is a big fan of Korean culture, particularly the food and fashion. Despite her
passion for entertainment, she strongly believes that her peers should set
their priorities right from such a young age.
“I know a lot of students my age want to
be content creators and influencers, but I honestly hope to be a teacher one
day. So, I’ll work hard towards this goal, acknowledging that I can be a bit
lazy at times. However, after attending SuperCamp, I really found motivation to
do better,” says the 15-year old student.
“Yes, she can be lazy sometimes,” laughs
Maizatulakma’s mother, Zaidatulnisa
binti Salleh, 39. “But she’s really a good girl. She’s the eldest in the
family and takes care of her younger siblings. She makes sure that all her
homework is completed before coming home. She is also actively working for an
NGO on the side, something that she picks up from me. I too am actively working
for several NGOs that empower children from the B40 group with education around
our neighborhood.”.
Zaidatulnisa also hopes that the Malaysian
education system will bring back examinations for the students. “I see
examinations as a way to motivate students to apply what they have learnt at
school. Examinations provide a quantifiable and measurable method for parents
to assess their children's progress at school. It's not about making
comparisons of whose child is better or smarter.”
Zuraida Zulkifli, 48, is a proud mother to Daliya
Safeera Ramli, 15, a student at SMK Shah Alam, Bukit Jelutong. “She is very
quiet at home and likes to keep to herself. She only approaches us when she
needs help. She is different from her older sister who was a prefect and active
at school. Her sister also attended a boarding school,” says the full-time
housewife.
“I don’t really want to attend boarding
school like my sister,” Daliya laughs. “I’m actually an introvert and I’m
afraid to make mistakes, especially when speaking in front of the crowd. Even
when studying, I rely on the Internet and Youtube videos when I hit a wall.
It’s not always a bad thing as it allows students like me to learn at our own
pace. Now that I have attended Supercamp, I feel more confident, especially in
overcoming my fear of public speaking, and I am excited to share my opinions on
various issues”.
%20Zuraida%20Zulkifli%20with%20her%20daughter,%20Daliya%20Safeera%20Ramli%20and%20Tuan%20Saripah%20Nor%20Riha%20Tuan%20Jaafar%20from%20SMK%20Shah%20Alam,%20Bukit%20Jelutong..JPG)
Photo Caption: (L-R) Zuraida Zulkifli with
her daughter, Daliya Safeera Ramli and Tuan Saripah Nor Riha Tuan Jaafar from
SMK Shah Alam, Bukit Jelutong.
Senior Assistant Administrator from
Daliya’s school, Tuan Saripah Nor Riha
Tuan Jaafar is extremely proud that one of her students was selected to
receive a full scholarship to attend SuperCamp. “When TFM reached out to us to
share the information about SuperCamp, we submitted 8 applications and were so
delighted to know that despite the limited vacancies, Daliya made it through,”
she says. “Daliya is a very dedicated student who attended all meetings set by
TFM prior to her selection. I hope that she will return to our school and share
everything she has learned here with her friends. We look forward to seeing
more of our students attending SuperCamp in the future”.
SuperCamp is a global education brand that
believes that children who are equipped with ‘the 8 Keys of Excellence’, a foundation based on the Burklyn Business
School; can transform themselves to become self-motivated learners. The 8 Keys
of Excellence entail:
●
Integrity
●
Commitment
●
Failure leads to Success
●
Ownership
●
Speak with Good Purpose
●
Flexibility
●
This is It
●
Balance
Meanwhile, TFM is an independent,
not-for-profit organisation on a mission to give all children the opportunity
to realise their potential through quality education. This education champion
has been partnering with the Ministry of Education in Malaysia to reach
high-need public schools. At the same time, TFM is one of the 61 partners of
the prestigious global education network, Teach for All. TFM received
recognition in 2022 for the Education & Community Category at the Merdeka
Award established by PETRONAS, ExxonMobil and Shell in 2007.
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