First-ever PHFVLX team: (From left to right) Terence, Grace Goh, Stefanie Ang, Grace Chia, Samantha Low, Shan K, Fei Ying, Deborah Chew and Chen Ming. Lin, Terence Tan, and Jackie were unable to attend Badge Day
1 April 2012 marked the end of the Project Happy Feet Volunteer Leadership Experience (PHFVLX), a two-months long journey designed to give key volunteers an in-depth understanding of PHF, and to create a deeper sense of identity and culture among the volunteers.
Prior to Badge Day, the team held an evaluation meeting at NTUC Centre to discuss how the programme could be improved for future runs.
Shortly after, the team welcomed family and friends who arrive to attend PHF’s first-ever Badge Day – a simple and intimate ceremony to mark the end of PHFVLX, and to share the team’s experiences with their families and friends.
Badge Day kicked off with a welcome address by Deborah Chew, Director and Co-Founder of PHF. She thanked not only the participants of PHFVLX, but also friends and family, and sponsors, for their support. She remarked that PHF is expanding rapidly to support even more beneficiaries, and hence it is crucial to expand its team of key volunteers.
Deborah then made way for a short sharing by Young NTUC, who is the youth activation partner of PHF, Young NTUC has supported PHFVLX by providing venue for all its training sessions, and also sponsored the reception for Badge Day.
Fei Ying and Grace, both members of the first PHFVLX team, then shared on the team’s experiences throughout the PHFVLX journey. There were moments of laughter, and other solemn moments of reflection, as the audience was provided with a personal insight into the growth of the team members, as well as the circumstances faced by beneficiaries of PHF in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Terence, Director of Communication and Outreach of PHF, then surprised the team with a tribute video which captured the moments of PHFVLX. Each team member was then individually presented with an embroidered badge to mark their completion of the programme.
As each team member donned his or her badges, it served as a timely reminder that this was not the end of the journey, but was in fact the beginning to a fruitful and exciting endeavor to empower lives through education and training to alleviate poverty.
Following the simple badge presentation ceremony, Terence Quek then shared with the audience a forecast of upcoming events. These include Make Learning Possible in Nepal, Chefs for a Cause, and Project Happy Feet Slipper Race, which will be held in Singapore, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City this year.
All guests were then invited to a simple reception where they mingled freely, networked, made friends and learnt more about PHF and each other.
What PHFVLX
The PHFVLX team would like to thank Deborah, Grace and Terence for leading us on this life-changing journey and inspiring us through their sacrifices; other PHF volunteers who have shared their experiences and encouraged the team; and lastly, our families and friends for their unwavering support. Together let us start making footprints of change!
Contributed by Chen Ming
