Community Service

Good afternoon to all my classmate and Ms. My topic for today is Community Service. What is community service? You might think a punishment? Or you might think is tax deduction. But actually to me, it means differently. Community Service is so much more than you think.

I was brought up in a rural area. Since my parents were busy working, they did not care much about the progress of my studies, resulting in my academic performance dropping very badly. I used to be a lazy person last time and I almost gave up my life because I thought that I am not that kind of person who was born to be clever. I woke up when one of the high school teachers told me that no one will give up you unless you yourself do it. Luckily I met her early in my life and I realised it early, otherwise you will not see me standing here, and you might see me working somewhere else.

I had a chance to gain a different kind of experience. I had the opportunity to join the community service which was organised by the MCA. The objective of this project was to alert parents and students into realizing the importance of education. This is the main reason I volunteered for this service. I do not wish to see any of the youth experience what I had been through. However, the project was only carried out for seven days in one of the rural areas. In the seven days, we had our own foster family, we had a week of activity for the local community and we had a camp for the local children.

We had a good relationship with the teenagers together with their parents there. From the good relationship, we had an easy heart to heart conversation with them. When I get the trust from them, they are willing to share their problems with me and I willingly give advice to them. When someone give themselves up or gives up hope, encouragement and a lot of motivation can actually help a person build up their self confidence again.

When I feel down, if a friend comes to me and cheer me up, I will feel comfortable and build up my confidence again. I will think that there is still support from someone.

You might wonder why I need to tie up my hair, clip my hair, tight in the t-shirt with the sport shoes and wearing the watch. You might think it is out dated and maybe why the “auntie look”. Yes, this is what you will call “discipline”. When someone is discipline, it makes it easier to persuade people.

At the end of the day, not only you can help those teenagers who want to give up they lives, it also helps myself sharpen my socialising skill and survive in a strangers’ place. I realise the importance of the power of “teamwork”, this service is not only me myself, it is about we ourselves.

Before I end my speech, I would like to quote from Mother Teresa, “If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” So, ladies and gentleman, start lending our hands to the less fortunate, together we can and will build a better and caring society. Community Service is more than just tax deduction.

This is my speech, thank you.