The YWCA Vocational Training Opportunity Centre

I was flipping through today's papers and came across this article about the YWCA Vocational Training Opportunity Centre (VTOC) and found the story touching. That set me off googling for their website and also found their brochure. It's things like these that just remind of how lucky I am and have been all my life. I was just wondering if there was any way in which I could contribute, apart from donations.

As part of our church teen outreach program, the then 15-year-old me used to teach English and Maths every alternate Sunday to less fortunate kids somewhere in Puchong (Puchong has changed so much over the years so I really can't remember where that little kampung is anymore). Although that was where I learnt I dont have the patience to make teaching a profession, I still had fun with the kids and it was also very emotionally rewarding. And an eye opener too to us "city kids" who are used to the "finer things in life" that there are loads of people out there who had more pressing problems in life.

A few years ago on a Christmas outreach program, we visited the squatter areas where some of the immigrants/refugees from Myanmar lived. We saw how these people lived in appalling conditions, were cheated by agents or employers and are forced to be on the run from the authorities all the time. What struck me the most was that despite all the difficulties they faced, they were such a happy, earnest and friendly bunch.

I guess having all the riches in life doesn't necessarily mean that one is happier. Time to take a step back, think about how we live our lives currently and of course - are we happy?