“We can make our future better.”
Happiness. Fulfillment. Aspirations. Inspirations. Creativity. These are the feelings you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that all you want to do with your life is to help people; help them to enjoy life and help them to believe in themselves as inspirational and creative human beings.
AYLS 2015 – Community Project
My first volunteer experience in a Bolivian orphanage opened my eyes on the future path I wanted to follow in order to create a better world while using my knowledge and creativity as strengths to communicate more effectively with the communities. Since then, I have made the decision not only to travel to Indonesia to volunteer at Jodie O’ Shea orphanage, but also to New Orleans with Project Homecoming, to Paraguay with Fundacion Paraguaya, and finally to Malaysia with Global Peace Foundation. All these experiences changed my life, and opened my heart even more to the beauty of every human being.
The second Global Peace Volunteer Camp – School Edition recently came to an end. I am still stunned to see how these amazing teenagers inspired me and I deeply wish them to inspire the entire world the same way one day.
There is a million different form of love, but the love I have for these teenagers is very special: full of respect, gratefulness and honesty. Watching them growing a little more everyday from their own experience, and grabbing every piece of knowledge that is given to them is just a thrill for me and the whole the team.
When a whole group of 14 year-olds teenagersmentions in their three-day final presentation about the importance of respect, listening, teamwork, punctuality, education, confidence, bravery and communication, I had to tear up a little. I was so proud and honored to have worked with this particular group of inspirational children. They were all coming from various backgrounds that never particularly allowed them to experience these kind of camp. The fact that a generous funder gave them this opportunity truly makes me an happier person.
“Fitri, how do you show you are more confident after this camp?” (Zainul)
“Like THIS.” (Tapping the floor with his foot)
Fitri has always been the shy one, continuously hiding himself during presentations and constantly refusing to use a microphone. Four months later and long hours of work, I couldn’t believe the remarkable changes that have happened to him.
This is was a brief story of one of the 24 teenagers at the camp. Each and everyone of them having their own particularities, uniqueness and life have been showing so much improvement and giving out so much love.
“We all are human beings.”
Best Team Ever
Being surrounded by such a diverse team and introduced to movies such as Freedom Writers, the teenagers had the opportunity to understand that differences do not matter because we are all human beings. They understood that we could learn to live peacefully together accepting our uniqueness and respecting one another. Additionally, they created a whole theater play in less than two hours, with English as the main language which is quite unbelievable when coming from not speaking any word of English at all. It definitely fulfilled my heart with proudness and love; while being a great example of beautiful teamwork and sharing experience for them.
The looks on their face when you finally tell them how proud you are to see their improvement and involvement in the camp has always such an impact on me. The efforts made to reach their full potential and search for their authentic-selfconstantly grow their experience and self-confidence. We can perceive this desire to light up ones life and to start the transformation to become a better person.
Samsul, the future business man
While walking within the hall of the venue, I overhear behind my shoulder “I love you Nina,” said Samsul. This spontaneous and genuine demonstration of love will forever stick to me. Being able to trust the team members and facilitators the way they do support us in the goal of inspiring these teens for a better and brighter future.
On a more personal note, I had for the first time the opportunity to be a program coordinator, being given the tasks and responsibilities that I have never had before; and this is a proof of trust from my friend and supervisor; Archana. I cannot be more grateful of this position as it gave me so much more confidence in my work. It also humanly made me grow trust into what I am capable of achieving today. Every step of the process was a learning experience, a step toward freedom of being myself while leading sessions on respect, joy and aspirations.
With a head full of dreams and inspirations, we all learned from one another over this three-day camp. Dancing on the rhythm of love and celebrating life, these teenagers definitely gave me the energy and will-power to continue my journey to inspire the world and live towards a greater good.
Love yourself. Love others. Love your lives.
Love your opportunities. Love your happiness. Love, always.
All my favorite Malaysian Family, One Family Under God
This article is a personal piece by Nina Soutoul, a who just completed a four month internship at the Global Peace Foundation (Malaysia). Her passion is in humanitarian efforts to impact the world positively for a better tomorrow. She loves children and guiding teens to understand themselves better to polish their potentials for the greater good of humanity.
Nina Soutoul graduated from the Roger Williams University, RI USA with a major in Global Communications and minor in Psychology, and Skema Bachelors, France from a major in Communicatio ns. Sh e has been accept ed with team of JR, Inside/Out , a project that aspires to bring the diverse humanity together as one, in New York to pursue her next internship. She is currently on her journey to meet her family for the Christmas holidays, before pursuing her next internship.
# GlobalPeace #TheInternship
