The name ‘Project Happy Feet‘ first piqued the interest of 17 year-old Filzah Salleh of Meridian Junior College Class 11S205, then resulted in her entire class volunteering as event helpers for the inaugural Project Happy Feet Slipper Race. Project Happy Feet (PHF) peeled Filzah away from her books for a quick interview to learn more about her class-ic feat and her thoughts about volunteering from PHF.
PHF: What inspired you to volunteer for Project Happy Feet Slipper Race?
Filzah: Project Happy Feet caught my attention when I first heard about it. When I found out that the beneficiaries were underprivileged children, I felt really compelled to volunteer. I want to help reduce the sufferings of these children and I’m glad to be able to volunteer for PHFSR for I know the funds raised will support the education and training of some of these children.
PHF: What gave you the idea of getting your classmates to volunteer together with you?
Filzah: I am the REACH ambassador of my class. It basically means I am the one who inspires my classmates to engage in community work. So I thought it would be a great idea to get my class involved together as some of my classmates also feel strongly towards helping underprivileged children. As school curriculum is hectic, I hope by involving my classmates in this activity, we can take time off to do meaningful things for a good cause, and bond closer together. This will be the first activity that we will be doing together as a class!
PHF: So how did you your classmates’ involvement?
Filzah: Getting my classmates’ participation was actually easier than I thought. I think this is because most of us have a similar interest towards causes for children.
PHF: What does volunteering for Project Happy Feet Slipper Race mean to you?
Filzah: It means a lot to me because I have seen the plight of underprivileged children once on a school trip to Bali. I can understand the similar conditions the beneficiaries are living in. At the orphanage I visited in Bali, not only were the children going around bare-footed, but their standards of living were also very modest. Despite it all, the children look happy. Their courage to live inspires and humbles me. I want to play a part in making a difference in the children’s lives in one way or another. I hope that by getting my class to participate in this project, it would translate to more support provided for the event, which would mean a positively memorable event for everyone, which means more participation and funds raised in the future, and thus more lives can be touched.
PHF: What do you hope to gain from volunteering for Project Happy Feet Slipper Race?
Filzah: I hope that our help will support the event, and make a difference to the registered participants. I also hope it will teach youths like me not to take things for granted and often think about people who are less privileged. I want to inspire other youths to be actively involved in causes for children.
PHF: If you have a wish for the beneficiaries Project Happy Feet is supporting, what would that be?
Filzah: I truly hope that come what may, they will able to stay strong and courageous to live their lives as happy, cheerful children. I want them to always believe that they are not alone in their sufferings and that there are people in this world like me who care and will actively do things within our means to help them.
Project Happy Feet thanks Filzah and her classmates of Meridian Junior College Class 11S205 for volunteering.
