Organising chairman Malcolm Yap (seventh right) from the 2nd Kuching Scout Group handing over goods to Hope Place representative Heidi Law (centre). Also present were (from fourth left) Group Scout Leader Jeffrey Wee, Scout Leader Then Ik Wei, Scout Leader Cindy Lau, Lodge Group of Schools director Rijeng Jahet, assistant organising chairman Ng Tze Tung (sixth right) and other committee members.
Lodge National Primary School principal Stanley Chong (centre) handing over a contribution of RM1,500 to Hope Place founder Kelvin Wan. Looking on is English Club teacher Charlene Sim.
KUCHING: The New Year may have opened up a new chapter for Hope Place when founder Kelvin Wan was invited to speak at Lodge National Primary School earlier this week.
Speaking to thesundaypost yesterday, Wan said Hope Place caught the attention of English Club teacher Charlene Sim when their ‘Charity Without Borders’, a project with Kelab Cabaran Pacuan 4 Roda Bintulu, appeared on the front page last December.
“Since then, she looked out for news about us and put up newspaper clippings on their notice board for students to read.”
When Sim invited him to speak to the National Primary School pupils, Wan was thrilled to go and share his work with a young audience. He didn’t realise it would have the effect of a pebble hitting the surface of a calm pond.
“The other teachers who were there asked if I could come back and speak to the National Secondary School students. Next thing you know, they also wanted me to go speak to their International School students!”
Wan spent much of the week carrying his 30-minute briefing to the entire population of Lodge Group of Schools.
When he had the opportunity to get feedback from a young church member who attended one of his briefings, she candidly told him he was a “bad uncle” for making them all cry.
“She told me she and her friends never realised there were so many poor people in Kuching,” he said, adding he accepted the invitation to speak at the school without knowing it could touch so many people.
Lodge Group of Schools later presented Hope Place with a donation of items worth RM4,100 from the school, a project organised by the 2nd Kuching Scout Group.
A statement from the 2nd Kuching Scout Group thanked all members, parents and students involved for their strong support.
Hope Place is currently in talks with Lodge Group of Schools about partnering with them and another school for a major upcoming project that would involve rebuilding a longhouse that was burnt down five years ago.
Meanwhile, Wan had a talk scheduled with another school – SMK Stampin.
“It is good to be able to expose students to the work of Hope Place. Hopefully, it can encourage some voluntarism spirit and get them to go out and do something.”
Any schools who are interested in learning about Hope Place and their work can contact Kelvin Wan at 016-8660711.
Hope Place visits families in need and delivers food packages consisting of daily necessities. All items are donated by members of the public. Those who want to contribute can contact Hope Place at 013-5672775 between 8.30am and 12.30pm on Mondays to Fridays.
Lodge International School director James Ling offering his thanks to Wan for sharing his story with the students.