Sharina Ridwan
MHE-Demag Malaysia,
Renovating a School in Bohol, Philippines
Sharina answers questions about her Meet a Need experience
What programme did you take part in; please tell us the name and the month/year?
Meet a Need, Bohol, Philippines – October 2009.
What did you do whilst on the trip? Did you have a particular role or responsibility?
To re-build and renovate a primary school at Magsaysay Seville village in Bohol.
Who benefited from the work the project did?
The project reached out to the entire village community, not only to the children, but also to the teachers and the neighbourhood.For us, as participants, it meant that we can make friends from other countries and to me personally, I’m still so very, very grateful that our company has given me the opportunity to visit another country.
What was the best moment for you?
It was this time we had lunch on the boat with all our friends and community workers. The fact that I was able to work together with colleagues from other countries and befriend people with different races and religions was a real highlight.Meeting the children of Magsaysay made me happy and sad at the same time, because most children in Malaysia have much better facilities and equipment.
What do you find yourself sharing with friends and family about the experience?
Mostly, I shared stories of the colleagues I went on the tour with and what they had felt and said.I also told my friends and family that my company gave me a chance to help people, learn new things, broaden my horizon and visit another country at the same time.
I shared how beautiful the landscape and scenery in the Philippine was, I was even lucky enough to see an amazing animal I’ve never seen before, the tarsier.
But most importantly, I told them about all the people I met along the way who were so loving and respectful. It really made me cry when we had to part.
