Mom said, as a mother, what you want is best for your children and if something does not seem right then it is your duty as a mother to do whatever it takes to protect your children. This is what I learned from her.
A conservative woman like me, I totally agree with my mom and I really want to be like her (insyAllah...).
Both my parents grew up in a small village at the north part of Sabah, and they are not college or even university educated. However, they have taught me how to how to appreciate what we have, and it was proven when they have succeed to send all of us (three siblings) in a proper schools and colleges.
I still remember when I was a small girl, my dad took our relatives from the interior and live with us in town so that they can have proper education and clothes.
Today, as I grew up I always have the feeling to help the unfortunate people, especially children who have been struggling their life due to poverty and lack of education.
Early this year, I went to Cambodia with Carl (hubby to be) and we have collected about 20kg of stationery from my blogger and non-blogger friends together with mine to be donated to the orphanages (Refer my previous entry: A visit to an orphanage to Siem Reap, Cambodia). And yes, I feel good morally or spiritually after that.
Since traveling is one of my interests, I am trying to do 'something' to every destination I am heading.
Next month (14th to 17th June 2012), I will be visiting Mabul Island for the second time. I just love the beautiful beach and variety of marine life. Im not a diver so forget about diving, but I might interested in discovery scuba diving (DSD), at least I have a picture of me taken underwater. Tidak la kempunan kan... And yes, of course I am dying for the seafood.
However, the purpose of me visiting Mabul Island is not just the 'tourism' aspect alone but as I said just now (trying to do 'something' to every destination) I am going to donate new and used clothes to the children of sea gypsy (age from 0 to 12) who are running around the island barefooted and naked.
But why Mabul Island? Why sea gypsy? Exactly! Have you seen how they live? There are living in a very harsh environment, where their house are made by renewable materials such as woods, leaves, coconut trunks, plywood or even plastic materials from the ocean. That is very impressive because they clean up the beach when every wave hitting the shore :)
Do not be surprise if you see them live in boats. This is true and I have seen them, because the sea gypsies were largely untouched by modern civilisation. Its totally a heartbreaking looking at kids rowing themselves in their self-made boat with slippers as their paddles. (Refer my previous post: Mabul Island- snorkeling and diving paradise).
Well... if the house conditions are bad, plus no electricity and clean water supply, just imagine their children running around the island barefooted and naked. Most of them are covered but some are not wearing anything. ZERO.
In the urban area, most mothers agreed, kids can't keep their clothes on. From the time they are four months or so and start kicking or pulling off their booties, they like to strip down and race around.
It's great fun in the sunny day, when it's easy to let your kids splash through the sprinklers or play in the pool in the backyard sans bathing suits and cumbersome shorts and T's. But is it okay to let kids be seen naked at the beach or in public?
Some moms, like my mom, believe that running around naked is "a rite of passage," but that it becomes an issue when kids start getting closer to school age-four or five.
BUT HOW ABOUT YOU?
What do you think about children running around naked?
How about kids running around naked because they are living in poverty, getting up every morning from a dirt- and illness-stained mattress... not having enough clothes? How about children rowing themselves in their self-made boat, under the sun without any clothes?
Looking at children running around the beach of Mabul Island and those on the small and tiny boats, all we can we can see dirty, smelly and untidy children.
So I hope the donation will mean something to them...
If you would like to donate, please buzz me at ladymariah@gmail.com, but important reminder inspect your clothing for holes, missing buttons and other imperfections before you pack it up to donate. Remember, they are for beautiful little children.
All donations (consider the hot weather) please send to this address (Last donation will be 10th June. I am leaving on 14th June).
Mariah Doksil
The Borneo Post
5th Floor Wisma KTS
P.O. Box 14210,
88848 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
IMPORTANT: I don't receive money because this is my personal mission. Used and new clothes ONLY.
4 comments:
Kesian tgk budak2 tu.
Dorg ni memang tak gi sekolah ke?
Bila gugel gambar.. semuanya indah2 & cantik.
For me.. nak tgk gambar yg real mcm ni,
gimme more photos plis ;-)
melalui research yang saya buat, golongan sea gypsies di mabul adalah 'stateless' bermakna mereka tidak mempunyai apa-apa dokumen dan mereka juga tidak dimiliki oleh mana-mana negara. kebanyakan daripada mereka masih mengamalkan hidup secara nomad, dan tempat tinggal tetap adalah di atas lautan, cuma ketika musim tengkujuh mereka akan berumah di daratan. namun, ada juga di antara mereka yang menetap agak lama di daratan, terutama di pulau mabul kerana pulau tersebut terlindung daripada angin monsun. maknanya, mereka selamat tinggal di tempat tersebut.
walau bagaimanapun, terdapat NGO yang telah membantu mereka dalam aspek pendidikan dengan mendirikan sekolah khas untuk mengajar asas membaca dan mengira... dan saya masih belum mendapat maklumat yg lengkap. kedatangan ke mabul kali ini akan lebih istimewa kerana saya akan berusah untuk melihat lebih dalam akan kehidupan mereka untuk dikongsi bersama...
Salam,
LM satu lagi inisiatif yang sangat baik untuk menolong mereka-mereka yang tidak bernasib baik di sana..sng diberi ganjarabn pahala untuk tujuan baik tu k!!!..
Alhamdulillah, semoga kita sentiasa diberikan kesihatan dan rahmat dari Allah untuk membantu orang yang memerlukan. Walaupun sumbangan tidak sebesar mana, yang penting tangan menghulur lebih baik daripada yang menerima.
Terima kasih Atun kerana sudi menyumbang.
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