Empathy Goes A Long Way
Whilst at work one day, I received a message from the People Team (Our Human Resource Team) saying that the social project I applied to months ago got approved and the dates are confirmed.
My name is Idy, Educational Consultant Trainer. I help Thai people reach their goals of learning English by providing them with consultancy services and encouraging them to be more confident.
At first, I had a vague notion of how social projects can help sustain and give long-lasting benefits to the community. As a former social work student, I had numerous working experiences in helping people with social vulnerabilities. Oftentimes these projects were superficial and left the community, with no significant improvement. But this time was different as I have been working for Globish for over 2 years. I know how much the company cares for the community and the efforts it performs to improve education in Thailand.
Due to the above, there is no reason I would not participate in this project. Not only to help the community but also to get an opportunity to work in a different setting with different people from other departments.
We went to Takua Pa which is a district in Phang Nga, a province in the south of Thailand.
On day 1, we had an unexpected rainfall and we had to adjust our agenda. We spent most of the time indoors getting to know the team, and Imagine Thailand Foundation.
On day 2, 3, and 4, we worked with the kids and teachers at Bang Nai Si School. It was a small school offering kindergarten and primary education only. The thing that impressed me the most was the warm and inviting welcome from the teachers and school staff. The kids, as expected, were excited to see new faces. This brings back my childhood memories.
We worked as a team, we divided up into groups and ran the teaching sessions in different classrooms. One golden rule we stuck to was “Keep it fun and simple” as the kids had little basics and some of them had none. All the kids were lovely and well-behaved. They participated well. It lit my heart up every time I saw them enjoy and laugh. Beyond the laughter and such a positive environment we were in, I discovered more as I had conversations with some kids.
As a human being, I would like to put my skills and empathetic nature toward helping people in need. Not only competent teachers and effective curriculums are needed in schools but also social workers and specialists to take charge of handling kids with special needs. The future would be a lot brighter. Every day that passes by teaches us something new
Kids were from different backgrounds and whilst some were from loving families, others were from single-parent families. You see loud and energetic kids. You see quiet and timid kids. It did not spark my curiosity as I see it as the diversity that normally exists in any social setting. Not all kids want to show off and stand out. But they are just what they are. No right or wrong.
When I spoke to the teachers and staff of Imagine Thailand Foundation. I discovered that the kids we were teaching were completely different at the levels and it surprised me. You have kids from wealthy families with parents working in high-ranking positions such as the police or as community leaders and you have kids with no parents or their parents are in jail. These kids usually live in the foundation. That is the home they rely on. Normally these kids are quite timid and do not speak much about themselves to avoid other kids from knowing about their unpleasant background, so as not to get bullied. Imagine how unsafe and insecure they must feel when going to school when schools should be a place where all kids feel safe to unleash their potential in exploring and finding what they like.
After learning this, I have come to realise how much I want to be part of making these kids feel safer. At least make them feel safe that there is someone for them to turn to when they have a question. This might sound like an insignificant change. However, I do believe that any improvement in an individual’s life eventually leads to a change at the systemic level. This experience not only inspired me to work hard so that I can help them grow as they should and to be themselves and feel safe in every community they live in. I also believe once their hearts are filled with love and warmth, they will always come back to their origins and return the favour to future generations.
By the last day, I was clear about the intention of the social project. Kids started to call us by our names and ask questions. From silent kids to kids with the courage to ask questions. It fills my heart. Not every kid would have the courage to ask questions to people they barely know and it had only been 4 days!
It was a worthwhile experience to be a part of helping Thai education. This experience inspires me to work harder so that I can help more people in need. This was a social project organised by a startup company that was founded 7 years ago with countless efforts to drive the community at its best. Imagine sizable companies with greater economic resources to spare on this sort of project. Imagine the outcome it would bring.
Last but not least, I would like to give a special thanks to the organisers of this project and everyone involved which has particular meaning to me due to my educational background. They help me put my knowledge and studies into practical and useful use.
