Recently, ten Australia International School Malaysia (AISM) students and two teachers set out on a journey to visit 29 children at Asrama Desa Pukak (ADP), Sabah under the Matilda Project. This project is an on-going commitment from AISM to provide education opportunities to the children in East Malaysia. The project aims to sponsor the education of these children and their hostel which is managed by the Good Shepherd Foundation of Malaysia. Established in 2008, the hostel was built with funds from AISM to enable the children of Pukak and other remote rural villages to stay at the hostel on weekdays. This facility helps students avoid walking two hours over a hilly terrain every day to get to and from their home to their school, Sekolah Kebangsaan Pukak.
AISM raises funds throughout the year for the children, through various activities and sponsorships like the annual Walkathon and Gala Dinner, and successfully raises more than RM60,000 every year which goes directly to the Pukak hostel in Sabah. The AISM community has been supporting this cause for the past six years.
As part of the tradition and to provide an opportunity for students to see for themselves how their contributions help, the Matilda expedition is organised every year. AISM students spend a week with the hostel children and even try the hike up to jungle path taken by the Sabah children to get to school if they didn’t stay in hostel. They clean the hostel grounds, organise fun activities, play instruments, sing and participate in friendly matches. They also teach English lessons in the Pukak Primary School.
However more than just giving, AISM students learn as much from the children. This year, the AISM students were hugely impacted by the strength and persistence of the Sabah children and they learnt that whatever circumstances are faced, it is important to have a positive attitude and an open mind.
AISM students apply each year to be part of this important service learning experience and plans are already in place for the 2017 trip to see the students in East Malaysia again.
