Code Youth: Flood Relief Mission

     Salaam all, how's everyone been doing ? Hope all is well :) My semester break has just started less than a month ago. Oh not really a break for myself as I still have another paper to be seated for an alternative exam since I was sick on the last day of final exam and had to go for endoscopy at the Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur. Been wanting to write a so called travelogue for my Europe Trip last year but I just couldn't find enough time to write. Upcoming exam plus eCos2 business and Flood Relief Mission. I'd just talk about our flood relief mission this time around.

CODE YOUTH: FLOOD RELIEF MISSION

     Talking about Flood Relief Mission, it all started off when I keep on receiving news about the massive flood that hit East Coast of Malaysia recently. The condition was so so bad and I felt helpless for sitting at home like a potato doing nothing else other than praying for those affected and scrolling my Facebook news feed. My aunt's and uncle's house in Kuantan was affected, Cynthia's, Cyndee's and Ms Alina's families too were affected in the flood. But I knew we can't focus our help on our family members only when there are others' who need help as well. I voiced out to my friends in Global Ambassadors and 10 of them (Myra, Said, Gary, Farah, Wina, Aizat, Darren, Cyndee, Cynthia & Jhan Eu), agreed to work on something. The rest are busy with internships and some are out of town hence, they decided to just support the 11 of us. Chiew Teng, my friend from Orientation Leaders volunteered to help us, so, we took her into our team and we became 12. Having Chiew Teng in the team is indeed a blessing; for most of us in Orientation Leaders and Global Ambassadors know that she's a girl with a golden heart. She works on her Project HOME with her CSI members and yeap the project is a success so far; she did cut her hair short for the Project HOME (it is still on going though, check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/projecthome2014?fref=ts) ! 

     We then had our discussion over What's App; what are the items they need, how are we going to execute the mission, where to store the goods yada yada yada... and we decided to move around under the name of Code Youth (check out our page: www.facebook.com/codeyouth1). Myra, one of our good friends, the one who keeps on pushing the team to move forward suggested the name. Simply cause it sounds cool and would attract the youngsters to support us and help us raise awareness to lend a hand to those affected. Being the leader isn't easy. It doesn't mean that I just sit at one spot and do nothing. Nope. We work as a team. One team. Despite most of them in the team are having internships, they do show their support and commitments, giving out inputs continuously, which I'm grateful of that. Ever since the start of this mission, I've set my mind that this would be solely to help those affected to gain their 'lives' back for the sake of the Almighty. It's not for the government or for us; the team to get the spotlight. Nope. Hence, you can only find our names not photos throughout the mission on our group page. It's not because we would want to misuse the money contributed from everyone, instead I, myself prefer not to reveal who I am to the public cause again, our main purpose is for the sake of HIM. Along the journey, I've seen how God has helped us the team to go through HIS tests.


TEST 1:

     Starting from Day 1, we were having doubts whether or not we should use Global Ambassadors logo and Taylor's logo cause we all came from the same student organisation and same university. In the end, we decided, not to use any and if there's anything happen along the way, it is our responsibility not the university.

TEST 2:

     Then, came a confusion among us and apparently, there are another 2 teams on campus doing the same thing. One of the teams (Student Experience department) needs our help to collect the funds on campus ground. Was pretty reluctant at first cause we have almost everything on our plates and we were about to launch the mission. As time goes by, I pondered upon myself and the team, I had to make a decision. The right decision so that nothing goes wrong. I knew God will guide me. I have faith on that. Strong faith. It may seem a lil bit difficult and over the plates, but I have that strong feelings HE will help me, help us get through this. I thought, "Why not we help the other team and at the same time work on ours? After all, it's for a good cause." So, I announced on our team's What's App, "Alright, guys, we'll help. Whoever wants to help them, do pass your name to me. I'll need more volunteers for our mission as well."

TEST 3:

     Bank account. We have decided that we will be receiving both goods and monetary contribution. I don't mind to use my bank account but I was in doubt if people would not trust me and think I'll misuse the money. So, I opted to do a new bank account and register it under the name of Code Youth cause I intend to keep this Code Youth for other aids/similar missions in the future. I checked with one of the banks and was told that we'll need at least RM 500 - RM 1000 to open one along with a registered organisation name under SSM. I thought that would be troublesome since we'll be launching our mission soon and we're running out of time. In the end, we agreed to use my bank account and I'll have to track each transactions made by anyone. I cleared my account, put aside all my money. Cynthia and Chiew Teng worked on the Google Document whereby all transactions made and donation received will be updated on the document.

GOD SENT HIS HELPS OUT OF NOWHERE:

     Poster. I knew, we need to have a poster. A simple poster. A poster that when anyone reads it, they get the message instantly. But I am very bad at designing, decorating and drawings. Very bad. I don't have the passion for those too. The things you'll be able to get from me if you ask me to draw is either a human without clothes or human with square/rectangle hands and legs or a square house with mountains at the back of the house. That's all. However, I appreciate arts and decorations done by anyone. I do appreciate and I do know how to appreciate them. My hands are not artistic hands at all, you see. All I have on my mind is to make a list, how, when, what, where, why, who. That's it. God's help is really near. Myra, Cyndee and Gary offered their help to design a poster. Myra was sick at that time. Cyndee was busy taking care of her sister who is in the ward at that point of time too. Gary had something to do. Nonetheless, all three still managed to get the poster ready based on the timeline we discussed. All praises to God!

Code Youth members' cover photo on Facebook.

Code Youth members' profile picture on social networking sites since 29th December till 13 January 2015.

     Storing place. I knew I can't store in my own house, my parents' house cause we're in the middle of preparing to move out anytime this year. And it would be difficult to transport the goods later on. I didn't want to trouble any of the team members as well to store at their houses. Cynthia then asked one of the staffs at Student Success Center and she allowed us to use one of the discussion rooms. I met Mr Albert on the first day of the mission for a short meeting. He wanted to know about the mission and he wanted Community Service Initiatives of Taylor's University to cooperate with Code Youth. We had a short meeting and he offered CSI room as store room as it would be easier for us to carry the donation from Starbucks to that room. In the end, we had two store rooms. Alhamdulillah!

Goods stored in CSI Room.

Items stored in Discussion Room at Student Success Center.

     The first day of the mission, I was in a mess. I had no idea. This wasn't my first time doing a charity event. All I expected was to receive goods and we store them in the CSI Room or Discussion Room at Student Success Center. Then, Ms Alina and Mr Tee came to talk to Gary, Chiew Teng, Said and I. Ms Alina asked if we have a poster printed out. I forgot about it. It was already on my mind before I came that morning. So, I went to print the poster out in A3 and A4 sizes and wanted to laminate that A3 poster. I walked in to the bookstore at The Boardwalk, the Chinese uncle was there as usual. Asked him how much will it costs if I want to laminate an A3 size poster, RM 4 he replied. I agreed. He laminated the poster and later told me to just take it without having to pay. I wanted to pay but he insisted again to give it for free of charge. I walked out of the shop feeling grateful and took it as part of his contribution.

     Farah suggested to have a Facebook page; Code Youth Facebook Page so that we can post any photos and updates on the page as proof that we're doing a legit flood relief mission. I agreed. We all agreed. I created one and made all of the members as admins so they could post updates and reply to any messages/queries that come from public. Yeap, Farah's idea was definitely good as the mission spread really really fast ! There's one day that I had to leave the campus early to attend a short noticed meeting for eCos2 leaders in the heart of KL, Chiew Teng had something to do as well. And God sent Farah right on time to be on standby at the campus to receive donation. Alhamdulillah!

     Days before we had confusion between ourselves and the other team, Darren Yap, another good friend of mine, personally messaged me saying that he won't be able to be on campus everyday as he has internships but if Code Youth needs more volunteers and advice, he's willing to lend a hand. Darren managed to get volunteers in a short notice. Chiew Teng also helped us look for volunteers in a short notice. And I just posted once on Orientation Leaders What's App group. Chiew Teng and Darren followed up with the rest who volunteered and gave me the name list. We had 10 volunteers; Jo Yee, Julia, Wong Siu Wan, Adrian Yeoh, Lai Mun, Pravinan Lai, Lydia, Sean, Vida and Angel helping us during the Student Experience flood funds collection and Code Youth goods - sort out - session.

Volunteers in action.

     On the day we had discussion among the members, we've already discussed on how to transport the goods received. It's either we rent a van/a lorry or those who have cars, will place everything into their cars and send them to the organisation. To my surprise, few days later, in the middle of the first week of our mission, Kelvin Yap, another good friend that I met since last year, messaged me saying that he can help us get contacts to transport the goods. Alhamdulillah. I'm very grateful of that. I didn't ask how much will it costs to transport the goods till few days before we cut off the donation. By then, we've known how much goods we have and I checked on the charges again with Kelvin. Another surprise... Kelvin told me it is free of charge, Big Hug Burger will send a truck to campus and transport the goods to Subang Jaya.

Nicholas and Dewi from Big Hug Burger loading and unloading the goods in the food truck.

   
     We decided that the 100% donation will go to a legit organisation that has records they have done such mission and they have teams that go for on ground missions. I found few. Team members found few too. In the end, I decided with agreement from everyone that the donation goes to IKRAM Subang Jaya Branch. IKRAM is a non - government and non - profit organisation founded on 22nd of October 2009. Its current president is Ustaz Hj Mohd Parid bin Sheikh Ahmad. It focuses on spreading da'wah and taking care of Malaysian citizen's welfare in accordance with Islamic teachings which is to share the mercy of God with people around. I knew IKRAM works closely with Aqsa Syarif for lots of missions. Its official website is http://www.ikram.org.my. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ikram.malaysia?fref=ts. Code Youth had liaised with representatives from IKRAM Subang Jaya branch (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ikramdaerah.subangjaya?fref=ts; website: http://www.ikramsj.org/); En Azrul (60136845574), Ustaz Taufiq (60196029839) and Ustaz Adil (60192648783). En Azrul told me that IKRAM has weekly trips/missions to the affected areas/states and they will be going to Temerloh, Pahang on the 10th of January 2015 for spring cleaning and sending donations from the public to the victims. This has been confirmed by both Ustaz Adil and Ustaz Taufiq. I thought it is just nice for us to send the goods we have on the 9th of January 2015. On the other note, Ustaz Taufiq was the one who received the donations from us on that Friday evening. I wished to go to the affected areas but I have other commitments once we cut off the donations. And I'd need proper plans to go for on ground mission; place to stay, exact area to go, transport, things to bring, etc etc. Thus, I had to forego the idea till God knows when. 

Standing from left; Farah, myself, Nicholas from Big Hug Burger, Ustaz Taufiq from IKRAM Subang Jaya branch and Pravinan at IKRAM's office in Subang Jaya.

   
     We received lots and lots of goods (clothes, diapers, baby formula, sanitary pads, school uniforms, stationery sets, food including rice, crackers, Milo, mineral water, 100 Plus, etc) from Ms Bee Lian (Advisor for Scholars @ Work), Ms Mazitah Ahmad (my aunt who lives in Kiev, Ukraine), Ms Alina (Global Mobility Office), Ms Jas Rynn (Global Mobility Office), Ms Saadiah (Student Success Center), our friends; Farah, Sasha and friends, Shook Leng, Au Jo Ey, Eileen and Kasmir, Carmen Lee, Lim Yang Kit, Sally Peh, Ho Wei Jian, Yap Lai Yi, Izzat, Amy (Cynthia's cousin sister), Catherine Poo, Anna, Hafiz and few others that we didn't get to track their names. I was told by IKRAM representatives that right now they have clothes in an excessive amount. Hence, I decided not to donate the clothes except for school uniforms to IKRAM. Cyndee then suggested we donate the clothes to a shelter home for abused children and orphans located at Jalan Gasing, PJ. It's a good idea. After all, we don't want the clothes to be wasted.

     Not only that, we did receive cash as well from Ms Bee Lian, Student Experience Department (as a token of appreciation on our agreement to help them collecting their flood relief funds), Cynthia's family, Aqilah (my primary school classmate), Audrey (Myra's friend), Cyndee's family, Shook Leng, Esther (our friend from Orientation Leaders), Myra's mum, Lim Yang Kit and strangers on campus ground. In total we received approximately RM 2500. We spent RM 1041 to purchase more baby formulas, stationery sets, notebooks, bath towels and Milo. Another RM 1000 will go to IKRAM for 25 prayers pack. The balance; RM 459 shall go to IKRAM Health for them to buy medicine for those affected in the recent flood.

Among the boxes of clothes received from the donors.

The prayers pack.

IKRAM Health advert.

     In a nutshell, I'm very very very thankful that HE help us along the way. I would say, for the past 3 weeks, Code Youth had gone through a 'medium speed roller coaster ride' but everything seems smooth and everything is solvable with HIS guidance and help that HE sent out of nowhere. On behalf of Code Youth, I'd like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude and thanks to God the Almighty; our family members and all advisors on campus especially Ms Alina and Mr Albert for all the support, guidance and advice; my team members (Chiew Teng, Farah, Myra, Wina, Cyndee, Cynthia, Said, Gary, Darren, Aizat and Jhan Eu) for being ever so supportive, sporting enough to be on standby at Taylor's University and continuously giving inputs; Kelvin Yap for getting the transport from Big Hug Burger; Big Hug Burger itself for willingly want to contribute to our Flood Relief Mission; IKRAM Subang Jaya branch (En Azrul, Ustaz Taufiq and Ustaz Adil); IKRAM Health, all volunteers (Jo Yee, Julia, Wong Siu Wan, Adrian Yeoh, Lai Mun, Pravinan Lai, Lydia, Sean, Vida and Angel); all donors (Ms Bee Lian , Ms Mazitah Ahmad, Ms Alina, Ms Jas Rynn, Ms Saadiah, Farah, Sasha and friends, Shook Leng, Au Jo Ey, Eileen and Kasmir, Carmen Lee, Lim Yang Kit, Sally Peh, Ho Wei Jian, Yap Lai Yi, Izzat, Amy, Catherine Poo, Anna, Hafiz, Aqilah, Audrey, Esther) and last but not least, those whom we did not mention here but have contributed to our mission be it in terms of energy, money, spreading the poster around and etc - again, THANK YOU! We wouldn't be able to do this without all of you. May God bless you and return your kindness in many ways. We hope that this small initiative will help those affected to regain their strength and spirit to pursue their life despite the natural disaster that took a toll on their lives recently. BEING KIND IS UNIVERSAL :)

Till then.


Regards on behalf of the Code Youth,
Anis Raihana :)