A visit by 2 senior students rekindle lots of memories & got us reflecting on the history of our 14 years old Education Assistance Project
KYCO – CSP Education Assistance Program
Visit to KYCO – T.Shin and T.Xuan
Part 1: The Visit to KYCO
Sun 17 Nov 2024
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On Sunday 17 Nov 2024 morning, T.Shin & her younger sister T.Xuan, 2 Senior Students of the KYCO-CSP Education and Mentoring Program called on Sifu & Simoh, to their total surprise and delight as Sifu had expressed a wish to see them for some time. They came and gave Sifu & Simoh 2 sweet and round water melons! T.Shin said " the roundness of the melons is symbolic of their wish for endless completeness with our connection to KYCO!"
Sifu is truly happy and proud of the CSP Children and requested KC, to give a short account of T.Shin & T.Xuan to those present.
In her heart-warming story, KC related that both of them was the reason behind the setting up of KYCO-CSP Education Assistance and Mentoring Program 14 years ago to provide tuition, school aid, financial assistance and mentoring for children who came from financially difficult, dysfunctional homes or in many cases destitute single parent families who could not give their children a proper education nor necessary nurturing.
T.Shin and T.Xuan were from a disadvantaged family background . From young, without either parent by their side, and after going through a difficult period, they were eventually plucked by a relative and were "left at the doorstep" to be looked after by their grandmother who could not afford to send them for tuition. Ms Yap , Principal of Tadika Wawasan, then a "friend of CSP" came to know and highlighted their plight. With her kind help and great support, KYCO-CSP took in both of them, to give them tuition, occupy their time after school hours until the evening, to prevent them from falling under the negative influences in a rough neighborhood.
They were soon joined by children nearby, also from similar difficult family background and thus the birth of the CSP - Education Assistance Program!
Apart from school tuition and financial assistance provided by CSP and kind donors, these children also received mentoring from Youth Members and KYCO-CSP Volunteer Members who gave them additional general coaching mainly in conversational English. Most of them are without guardians by their side and would follow CSP members to charitable activities ( initially because tagging along with us is an exciting opportunity to go out as opposed to sitting at home looking at the 4 walls) and they return to become a ' part of the members' family, often staying with the members on weekends, school holidays and generally sticking by the side of our members where they received the ' care & love' which they virtually were not exposed much to in their early years. This nurturing, a place to turn to in their young life, has generated their gratefulness to Sifu, Simoh and KYCO today.
As part of the program, the students would visit KYCO on Saturday evenings and some of our members would stay behind after Sifu' s Saturday Dharma Teaching to coach them. On such occasions, Sifu and Simoh would stay behind too , to spend time with them. They see the kindness in Sifu and Simoh and KYCO members who sacrificed their Saturday nights to accompany them and provided them a small token pocket money ( RM 10.00)- very much needed since they have no one in the family who could spare them that amount. In fact, in later years, T.Shin commented that they look forward to the trip on Saturday because they wanted the RM 10 for their expenses in school. She honestly told us that the biggest attraction was the RM10.
The nurturing, extra care & attention have uplifted them and gave them hope of a bright future. 6 of these 14 senior CSP children are now in Universities and Colleges while the rest in Vocational Institutes and Secondary Schools.
However, T.Shin had to live through one life challenge after another. She struggled having to "work part time" soon after she started secondary school and it was then that she lost her natural cheerful self when she underwent mental battles either to quit school or be emotionally drained trying to sacrifice her lunch at school with the hope that there will be extra money to support her grandmother, sister and her father ( who after being away for a long time and decided to return home to stay as he was unwell and unable to contribute to the family). CSP members could only watch as they also knew that she would not accept charity for her whole family as very few in society will be able to support and sustain their family upkeep and well- being indefinitely. We could only be there for her, quietly supporting her while she went through tremendous upheavals for a few years.
She had made a very difficult decision to stop her Form 5 education, a few months short of her SPM Exam to shoulder breadwinner responsibility for the family. She took on full-time work ( often working overtime into the early morning to earn that extras) . Meanwhile, we continue to encourage her to privately sit for some subjects in the SPM Exam last year.
T.Shin is a bright girl with excellent IT technical skills which she self taught and is currently doing very well. She is hired as IT support Technician in her current company that provides a platform for broadcasting and Live Streaming program. She is also the trainer of the staff in IT skills too.
Sifu expressed his pride and joy and congratulated T.Shin, who has taught us much in endurance in bearing years of hardships in courage, perseverance to have overcome many life obstacles in her young life and managed to outgrow and “bloomed’. She has since regained her Cheerfulness knowing that they can manage better now.
We truly rejoice and were all inspired as she is a picture of confidence, as she breaks into easy smiles, chatty, and well mannered. “Today, she can look at the sun and say it is bright, as the sky has been dim and cloudy for them for so long!” Sifu remarked with joy and pride.
Sifu acknowledged the excellent work of KC with her non-stop nurturing and guidance and her practice of selfless service and sacrificial love, giving joy, hope and love that many of the children have not tasted.
T.Shin has plans to eventually enter college to major in the field related to IT while T.Xuan will likely take on vocational skills training after Form 5.
On behalf of KYCO-CSP, we sincerely wish them both much happiness, and a bright and beautiful future.
Thank you.
Yem, on behalf of Information Team
Shared by: KCC, 24/11/2024
