The Malaysian Insight

A LEARNING centre for marginalised and refugee children has won an international award and US$10,000 (RM42,000) for its work.

The ElShaddai Centre in Klang, Selangor, won the 2020 Hope Awards International for effective compassion, given by US-based news platform, WORLD.

“We didn’t intentionally join the contest. A journalist came by our doorstep last November requesting an interview.

“Then the journalist informed us that we were selected for a contest,” said ElShaddai’s executive and education director Dr Ng Oi Leng.

The Hope awards have been running for 15 years to support social work across the US. 

Covid-19 this year brought changes to the nomination process and WORLD’s journalists then visited various social work initiatives outside the US to see how these organisations were thriving in the midst of the pandemic.

Part of the selection included a voting period that was held from the end of September to mid-October.

The other finalists included the Dream Centre in South Carolina, Gilgal in Atlanta, Overflow Café in Maryland, and Refugee Hope Partners in North Carolina. 

“It has given us confidence, especially now that we are planning to start a new work in Sabah among the Bajau and Suluk communities,” said Ng.

ElShaddai’s educators have been developing a model to help stateless children living in Sabah for a long time, Ng said.

“ElShaddai is an organisation that helps every child regardless of race, religion, economic or legal status, who has no access to mainstream education,” she said of the civil society group registered with the United Nations.

It first opened 12 years ago with 22 pupils and now has sub-centres in different parts of Malaysia. In total, it reaches 1,400 pupils.

Among them are refugees and migrants from 20 countries, including Myanmar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Somalia, Cambodia and India.

The parents work 3D (dirty, dangerous and difficult) jobs in Malaysia, Ng said.

As such, ElShaddai’s fees cost less than RM70 per month for primary schoolchildren and RM120 for secondary school.

The organisation also provides scholarships for pupils whose families cannot afford the fees.

With the prize money, Ng said ElShaddai will channel the funds to start a skills training centre in Klang for older and uneducated youth.

“We have many students who come to school late, from age 10 and above. We are teaching them basic English education and living skills.

“The skills training includes repairing air conditioners, fish farming and making digital keys. 

“These abilities will help them make a living for themselves as well as contribute meaningfully to society and to their community.”

Some of the teachers in ElShaddai are refugees themselves.

“Refugees in Malaysia have to fend for themselves and there is not much help for them.

“If we can propose changes, we hope refugees can have the right to work in safety and lead productive lives.

“Even those who have UNHCR cards are still considered illegal to work here, and because of that, they are vulnerable to exploitation,” said Ng.

Malaysia is not a signatory to the UN convention on refugees and thus provides no legal protection to them. However, Malaysia recognises the UNHCR card as an identity card, but not as a right to legal work. – October 31, 2020.