Durga used to be quiet and withdrawn. Now her entire community is benefiting from the leadership potential she has discovered and unleashed.

Durga was orphaned as a young child. Her grandmother stepped in to look after her at first, but by the age of nine she was living in a care home. Durga was profoundly affected by the loss of her family. Already naturally shy and introverted, she became very withdrawn.

The children’s home where Durga grew up also provides accommodation for young women leaving care, housing them until they finish their education or have the means to support themselves.  Our Team programme, delivered in Malaysia through our partner Selangor Youth Community (SAY) supports care leavers like Durga – and other vulnerable young people – to build their skills and unlock their potential, so that they can thrive independently.

‘We should not depend on others because girls like us are vulnerable outside of the care home,’ Durga explains. ‘After we leave this house, people can easily cheat us, so we must trust ourselves and be able to stand our own two feet.’

Skills for life

Team is a full-time intensive personal development programme. In Malaysia, the programme lasts for nine weeks. Hands-on activities and challenges focus on building core skills, such as teamwork, communication, problem solving and leadership. Durga’s programme included activities such as hydroponics – growing plants without soil – alongside community service projects and workplace skills sessions.

Durga, now 26, has blossomed on the programme, coming out of her shell and developing into a capable young leader. She has drawn on her learning to initiate and drive multiple projects to improve life in her residential home, and among the wider community.

‘After the hydroponic session, I became interested with planting and gardening, and I now take care of the garden,’ Durga explains. ‘I liked the community project part the best as I had always liked to do community service, in fact I also initiated a project where annually I would cook and pack meals to give out to the homeless.’

A leader in the making

As Durga has stepped up to take on new responsibilities, the other young women in the home have recognised her leadership capabilities, and have elected her president of the children’s committee.

Now responsible for leading activities for children in the home, Durga is also pursuing a diploma in early childhood education. She has already started teaching Tamil to the home’s youngest residents.

In areas from gardening to teaching, Durga’s entire community is benefiting from her transformation, as she focuses her impressive drive, initiative, work ethic and leadership skills on improving living conditions for everyone in the home. And when the time does come for Durga to strike out on her own, she will be ready.