Giving the right gift to the right people.

I have had the chance to take part in a few volunteering/ humanitarian projects and I know how these projects normally need us to look for sponsor or raise funds. And this takes a lot of time and effort, not forgetting lots of people,  depending on the scale of projects we involve in.

From what I see, from what I read, much efforts are given to plan on how to raise fund, and how to do activities, but not on what the target group really needs to be helped on. So, sometimes, aids are given on trivial and unnecessary things.

It's easy to lose track on what your intentions are, especially if you are working in an already established organisation.
Sometimes, we tend to do things according to what have been done in previous years (ikut tradition).
Sometimes, we tend to do things just for the sake of spending the funds we got.
Sometimes, we tend to do things to fill up the 5-day activities schedule we had allocated for.
Sometimes, we do things that look great (or fun for us, the members) when in fact,  that is not fundamentally needed by the target group.

I just think that people need to give attention to carry out objective-based project, rather than activity-based or tradition-based project. It's time to educate the people particularly youth to organise things correctly, not just technical-wise but also objective and intention-wise. Scrutinise and find out on what the target group really needs. This may be tangible (like daily essentials such as food) or intangible (such as education). This might be helping them in short term or long term. Know the kind of help you wish to offer with regards to the capacity you have. Ask the representative/leader/contact from the target group on what they really need. Do not just assume. Plan wisely on how to make full use of the funds you have. In fact, the first thing to make sure is to choose the right target group.

I just think that it's such a waste to spend the funds/money/energy/time we have on things that are not really needed by the people.

Look at what the people really need, set target on how much we can possibly help, search for funds, and reassess on our capacity to help.

What is not right is to plan plan plan on what you want to help without paying attention to what the people really need. You have decided to spend your time and energy to help. Now, help with the right help. hand with the right hand. Give the right gift! Go, go, go! :)

In fact, this applies to not just humanitarian projects, but any project or programme organised. Be an objective-based organiser!
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i am just one girl with many dreams.
mahu mengarang cv hebat kononnya,
namun tertawa sendiri.

baris bakti konon tak terkata,
humanitarian, volunteering dikejar segala,
mahu merasa diri berguna,
namun kesannya tak seberapa.

tiba masa.
untuk mencari.
apa sebetulnya mampu mengisi.
mengisi ruang rekahan di bumi,
biar benar-benar mengisi.
bukan sekadar menutup di atas namun lompong di bawah.
bukan sekadar mencari sponsor dan menabur entah kemana,
bukan sekadar tampak di CV, harapku biarlah benar-benar merawat hati
biar menyinar dalam gelap
bukan menyinar dalam terik.

Mungkin lebih sukar untuk itu?
mungkin lebih titis peluh?
mungkin lebih cawan caffeine?
mungkin lebih kerut dahi?
tak mengapa.
Allah kira usaha mu.
tiap peluh, cawan dan kerut kamu,
takkan pernah rugi.

satu demi satu

berikanlah kesempatan buat diri mencari erti,

erti siapa diri, apa kucari, kemana pergi,

berikanlah kesempatan untuk ku belajar,

belajar mengerti jiwa luar lantas berbakti

agar dapat ku ambil cebisan harga diri,

kucantum jadi kibasan berseri.

Sungguh ku hilang dalam kabus,

kupercaya belum tertimbus

andai ku cuma mengikut jari 

kudoa hikmah jelma kembali

How surfers and insects become friends

I still remembered this one time when I was still in primary school. In exam, I got wrong for one question which asked on the reason why a pin would float on a bowl of water. We complained so much (okay, maybe it was just me who complained. lol) when we were marked wrong for putting lower density of pin relative to water as the answer. Instead, the real  answer was surface tension. We were not taught so much of surface tension back then, but as I grow up during my schooling years, my wonderment of surface tension also grows.

A bit of definition here (zzzz), surface tension is the force produced between molecules of liquid on its surface. 

Imagine water molecules now. Imagine them in bulk and those at the surface attracting one another (tarik.....tarik...). If the liquid is in container, you should imagine the water molecules at the surface (on top) would now act like a barrier or form a skin. 

That's why the pin in a bowl of water can float(say oooohh). 

That also explains why we can pour water a little bit above the glass rim(say aaaah). 

Not just that, surface tension is what permitting the insects like water striders to walk on the water( say fuyyo). Awesome sangat. As if what liquid to us become solid to them. 

But hey, human beings are smart too to utilise this special nature of nature by creating water surface sports like surfing! (which I am yet to try aside from boat paddling) Haruslah! Semua yang Allah ciptakan kat dunia ni kan untuk manusia :) 

Not just that, when you pour water onto a surface which is waterproof like tents or waxed mirror, you can see droplets of water scattered on the surface instead of water wetting the whole surface. This also goes down to attraction of water molecules which are pulled towards the centre, forming droplets. 

And for this past few weeks, in university, we have been taught about surface tension in the lungs. If without surface tension, when our chest expands, the lungs will not expand together. So, awesome and all-knowing Allah gave us thin layer of fluid between our lungs and our thorax cavity (lets just say the inner chest as nana's so called layman term). The force of attraction between the molecules of fluid/water causes the outer later of the lungs to be sealed to the inner chest, hence when we breathe in, it starts with chest expansion which leads into the sealed lungs being expanded as well. Only then, air can come in! 

Kenapa kena tahu ni? so that when we look at water droplets, we can know realise how amazing the creator of the water droplets is. So, that when we go surfing next time, we know that it isn't us being cool to surf, but it's the cool Almight who creates the ground for us to surf. 

And just so know, water surface tension in your lungs sangat berharga tahu? People who suffer from emphysema for instance have some of the tissues in their lungs damage, hence surface tension pun affected, causing structures like bronchioles to easily collapse and that makes it difficult to breathe. 

Hargailah setiap saat kamu mampu menarik nafas dan udara mampu untuk tertarik. Cuz behind that, lies thousands of His Wonder.

eid mubarak

Alhamdulillah, dua minggu sudah. Dua minggu sudah pulang ke Bumi Inggeris yang tak-berapa-nak-rasa-omputih ni. harhar. Baru pulang dari camp semalam- jumpa dengan jiwa-jiwa baru di UK (read Malaysian freshers). Baru pulang dari iftar petang tadi dengan orang-orang Leicester (read Malaysians). Alhamdulillah. Hee..It does feel homely. Yes, it does.

Baru dua minggu juga bergelak ketawa kembali dengan groupmates yg masing2 dengan karenah masing-masing (yes, you can read British locals this time). And am looking forward for an Eid Lunch with Muslim Pakistani friends this Friday insha Allah.

I had the task of chairing the sharing session this evening. Asked the freshers on their expectations. Cause I think the biggest mistake I made when I first arrived in UK was not setting up an expectation. Not doing any mindsetting. Mindsetting on what I wish to achieve. In my study. In my personal development. In my tarbiyah.

Thought I might share some points (or maybe personal views) here:

1. It's really important to plan on what you want to achieve. Seriously, plan. Plan seriously.

2. It's important to know that there are such things as good and bad things. Have self control on imposing good deed and restraining from bad things.

3. It's also vital to know that we have more than one role. A child, a friend, a student, a group mate, a naqibah (if you are), a sister, and many others. Ten persons you know in life make at least ten different roles for you.

4. And the third point also tells that, we should know how to prioritise. Priority changes according to situations. But, may it always be a priority that is deemed as priority in Allah's view.

5. Be principled. If you meet a thousand individuals outside there, you'll find a thousand principles. But in that crowd, trust me, majority of people tend to follow majority. In the end, principles combine and become homogenous and hence the majority's principle becomes mainstream. That has pros and cons of course. That tells how majority view can influence you a lot. But stick to what you think is right. But make sure what you think is right is really right. And it also tells how we, as human beings are in need of human support around us.

6. Be open minded. Now this seems to contradict the previous point. But we can be open minded whilst being principled. Just as how in human interaction, we sometimes can mix, but not blend.

I hope my points are not superficial, especially for my own self to practise. Arrr..

kerna diri ini cukup tahu bahawa berkata2 itu memang mudah. yang susah itu melangkah.

oh and... EID MUBARAK!

Menjadi diriku

Menjadi diriku
Dengan segala kekurangan
Menjadi diriku
Atas kelebihanku

Terimalah aku
Seperti apa adanya
Aku hanya insan biasa
Ku pun tak sempurna

Tetap ku bangga
Atas apa yang ku punya
Setiap waktu ku nikmati
Anugerah hidup yang ku miliki

-EdCoustic

Teruskan langkahmu

When you feel that there's no more chance for you, tell yourself...

Safeguard everyone!