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the youthasia story you (probably) never heard of
posted October 30, 2009 1:59 am
Back in 2006 when I was preparing to start my final year in Uni, I took up my very first job (the 2 month kindergarten teacher stint in 2005 doesn’t count).
I was an intern in YouthMalaysia, with responsibilities slightly heavier than the regular intern in other organizations.
taken during one of our first roadshows in KDU
I was the Editor, and I had various things to juggle: an online portal, a newsletter, a magazine, and my studies. I was in my 3rd and final year in Monash University.
I recall the amount of sacrifices I had to make. I recall taking the cab back and forth campus & work, spending almost every dime I made out of my meager salary as an undergraduate just on transportation. I had to save money – not to buy an iPod, or a CD, or a laptop, or any other stuff my peers were hoarding cash for. I saved and spent them all on cab fare. I had to starve on several occasions. I skipped classes, and burnt the midnight oil to catch up on the syllabus.
People ask me why I got so hung up on this job. I was, after all, barely 21. I could have had so much more fun. Or, if I wanted, I could have gotten a similar job somewhere else in a bigger company, higher pay, and probably didn’t have to go through so much.
People questioned, but I never knew the answer. There was one thing, however – one thing I knew deep inside: I wanted this, more than anything ever. And nothing was going to stop me.
Over the years, YouthMalaysia.com evolved, and its vision grew. The reach expanded beyond our country’s borders, and became what it is today: Youth Asia, and is backed by over 180,000 youths in the YouthSays community.
We ran one massive Merdeka festival all over Malaysia, and organized Malaysia’s Largest Youth Festival. Twice.
Photo of youths crowd surfing at YOUTH’09 thanks to, well, YOUTH’09 photographers.
My job scope evolved with the organization. People came, stuck with us for awhile, and left.
I have to admit. There have been difficult moments. And at moments as such, I do sit back and question myself: is this aligned with what I really want in life?
I don’t normally have the answer to that. I do, however, normally just shrug it all off as regular growing pains, and carry on with my life as per usual.
But today, as I take some time out of my huge pile of workload reading the changes our Southeast Asian youths have pledged through the YES2009 SEAchange movement, a project we are currently working on – I am moved.
Thousands of people signing up to join the movement. Hundreds of videos pledging for change are created, and shared virally across the region. The Facebook page gathered over 14,000 fans in 3 weeks. Posts on creating & moving change in Southeast Asia are shared very rapidly – so rapid that new posts are moved to the bottom every 5 minutes.
You don’t want to start counting the tweets. The influence is massive, and unstoppable.
Why?
Because this call for change is fueled not by the Organizing committee, but by the people themselves. By an underlying, unified plea for true change in our society. By a burning desire for a better life, in a better world.
And watching this happen right before my very own eyes is magical beyond belief.
To all the youths in Southeast Asia who’ve joined this movement and pledged for change in your own lives, your own families, your communities, your country, your world: thank you for adding more meaning to my life, and my existence in Youth Asia. You have changed me in ways you didn’t know you had. I am loving my career more because of you, and today I stand firm by saying that I can’t be more sure that this, truly, is my calling in life.
I cannot wait to meet all of you at the Summit.
November 16 & 17 – PICC.. see you there.
Posted in , appreciation, confessions, life, work, YES2009
by Yan
30th October 2009 6:16 am
Inspiring post. Guess you can never underestimate the power and the impact of youth.
Hope I will be able to witness the change movement at the summit too.
by amanruzaini
30th October 2009 6:31 am
Inspiring post indeed joanne
*two thumbs up*
by Tweets that mention the youthasia story you (probably) never heard of - joanneliyeng -- Topsy.com
30th October 2009 1:08 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by SEAchange, KH. KH said: my side of the story: working in #youthasia, and the @followseachange movement. http://tr.im/DuiA (via @joanneliyeng) [...]
by muhammad-hafiz
14th November 2009 10:14 am
Oh, I wish could work to at YouthAsia and feel the adventures as you’ve experienced before there. And I really like YOUTH ’09, since I’m volunteered for that. And also, I really want to go to YES2009, and maybe you know why since I’ve just sent you a PM in FaceBook. Hope it not burdens you so much just because of my request. Thanks and thumbs up for all of your posts =D
Nice blog