Drawing on her own experience, Martha wants to become a counsellor working with orphaned and abandoned children.

Born into poverty in Malaysia and abandoned as a young child, Martha was raised first by her grandmother and then in a children’s home. She only started school at nine and, years behind her classmates from the beginning, struggled to catch up. Her traumatic and unsettled start has had enduring impacts, leaving her self-esteem in tatters.

The Team programme has been transformative for Martha, dramatically boosting her confidence and communication skills. Through a series of hands-on projects and activities, Martha has gained new skills, discovered new strengths and, finally, has begun to believe in herself.

Martha is now pursuing a diploma in early childhood care and education, and is training to be a children’s care home warden.

‘I want to be a child counsellor in the future because I don’t want others to experience what I have gone through,’ she explains.

Hands-on learning

Delivered in Malaysia through our partner Selangor Youth Community (SAY), Team is a full-time intensive personal development programme with a strong focus on learning by doing.

The nine-week course combines hands-on activities with group projects and work experience placements, all geared towards building core skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving and leadership. Over the last year, SAY has worked with a government-run home for girls and young women to deliver a targeted programme specifically for young women, like Martha, who have grown up in the care system.

Martha faced many emotional, social and academic challenges that are typical among young women who grow up without family support. Her shyness and low self-esteem made it hard for her to speak up and build connections with others, and her disrupted schooling further dented her fragile confidence.

Beyond her comfort zone

The Team programme gave Martha the chance to build on her strengths and to face her fears. A key step forward came during her community service project with a children’s cancer centre, when she had to overcome her shyness to engage with staff and patients. Naturally inclined towards helping others, this ultimately emerged as Martha’s highlight from her time on the programme.

“I liked the community project the best when we went to the Cancer Society because I like doing community service and helping others,” she explains.

By the end of the programme, Martha’s confidence, communication and public speaking skills had come on in leaps and bounds. She concluded the programme by taking to the stage and hosting the final celebration event, a stark contrast to the quiet, shy young woman from week one.

Skills and service

Martha is determined to use her skills to support other children who don’t have family to fall back on, so that they too can build themselves a brighter future.

Alongside her warden training and her studies in early childhood care and education (ECCE), she also teaches English and traditional dance to younger children at the home where she grew up. She even offers the children extra classes at weekends, and help with homework.

‘We need to be independent, to be able to stand on our own feet,’ Martha explains. ‘When I finish my studies I want to give service to this home first. I want to tutor and teach other kids in ECCE as long as they need me.’