Heidy Quah's life changed unexpectedly at the age of 18. Rather than participating in standard teenage pursuits, Heidy started teaching English at a refugee school in Kuala Lumpur. Can you imagine entering a classroom full of children who are excited to learn but have also had difficulty? These young students had fled conflict in Myanmar and had faced tremendous challenges. Their eyes showed both hopefulness and an intense desire to learn.
What would you do if you discovered this ray of hope was about to disappear? The school operated in danger of shutting down because it lacked enough funding. But Heidy and her friend Andrea Prisha were ready to take decisive steps to keep the school running. Have you ever distributed your homemade food products by approaching people at their front doors? Through their door-to-door sales of homemade food, they managed to secure enough money to sustain the school operations for half a year. Time showed that the temporary solution no longer addressed the situation permanently.
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The year 2012 marked the establishment of "Refuge for the Refugees" by Heidy and Andrea as they dedicated this non-profit organisation to serving refugee communities. Starting such an initiative as a young person presented numerous obstacles to overcome. The organisation founded 10 Malaysian schools and 25 educational facilities in Myanmar that taught more than 2,500 students. Academic institutions deliver more than standard curricula because they specialise in leadership development and individual growth to help students break free from their current situations.
Studying at university while managing an organisation demands considerable dedication. Have you ever faced challenges while trying to handle multiple commitments? Heidy faced this daily. As part of her mission, she dedicated herself to learning new languages, which enhanced communication with children and enrolled in self-defence to ensure her safety during risky rescue missions. Her commitment reached beyond academic pursuits because she devoted herself to fighting human trafficking while developing vocational training programs for refugees to help them earn income despite their immigration uncertainty.
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In 2017, Heidy was recognised for her hard work when she was given the Queen's Young Leader Award. This made her the first Malaysian woman to receive this honour. Heidy is most fulfilled by watching children smile because she brings hope to their lives through her work. Doesn't her story inspire you to believe in the power of compassion and determination? The story shows us that individual actions can create profound impacts worldwide.
Source: Faithour, Oneyoungworld