Saturday September 6, 2008
IT WAS a meaninful trip for 12 Taiwanese students and their teachers, who came to Malaysia to take part in some community services.
The students, who were members of the International Community Service Team from the Chinese Culture University in Taipei, were in the country for 12 days recently meeting local social workers and lending their service.
Social worker Wendy Yap introduced them to several orphanages and old folks homes in Kajang before bringing them to Cameron Highlands, where they mingled with the orang asli and delivered food items.
Happy together: Volunteers from Taiwan playing with orang asli children at Cameron Highlands.
The volunteers also took part in workshops organised by a secondary school and a college in Kajang.
Assistant lecturer Chen Tsung-Hsien, who led the tour, said the project was planned over six months.
“We started selecting the candidates in March, giving priority to those with experience in community service as well as those with a good attitude,” he said.
“The objective of this team is to enable students to learn as they lend a hand to those in need.
“They learn how to deal with different cases and interact with individuals, while inculcating in others the concept of learning through community service,” he added.
Memorable: Taiwanese volunteers with the orang asli at a settlement in Cameron Highlands.
The students, in their early 20s, showed that love transcended all boundaries as they sang, danced and played with the children, old folk and orang asli.
“We have gained a lot through this trip as the locals are very hospitable, too,” said Cheng.
He commented that the homes he visited were run in a systematic manner, but the concept of education through community service could be further inculcated among students.
“It is the same in every corner of the world, as long as you do it with your heart, you will be able to do a good job in social service,” he added. -- The Star Metro
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