BTSS into the 9th year

Last year, the committee decided to have the annual back-to-school-shopping for the poor families as a special event for Buddies, involving not only my clients, but also clients of other volunteers as well. The other volunteers also came to help out. I thought with the other volunteers helping out, it would help lighten my burden, being the one with most clients. Only problem was, when it came to paying, as the person in charge of the sponsorship and education fund, I was the one who ended up having to run like a mad woman from one cashier to another to pay for all the families. And with so many families involved, it was difficult for me to control the spending by each family.

So this year, I told the volunteers to take care of their own clients who need help with their children’s schooling necessities. I already have over 40 children to handle just dealing with my own clients, surely the other volunteers can handle at the most 8 children each.

This year’s back to school shopping will start off next week. Taiping-Ipoh-Kuala Kangsar-Slim River-Batu Gajah. With Ipoh having the biggest group, I purposely arranged for the shopping to be held on a Saturday, so that a few trainee volunteers can help supervise the families.

Looking back, I started taking the children of my clients to shop for their schooling needs since 2007, before we even started with our Education Sponsorship Program. Back then, I used to take them out one family at a time. However, with the increasing number of clients I got, in the end I just had to get the various families to meet me at a specified shopping complex (based on where they stay), so I could cover a few families on the same day.

Some of the children that I used to take shopping are already in higher learning institutions, so no more BTSS for them. Into the 9th year of BTSS, one of the children I used to take shopping for her schooling needs, and who is now a diploma holder, will be joining me, this time to assist me! It’s so satisfying to know that one of the children we’ve helped before, has graduated with a diploma. And even more satisfying when she also decided to assist me to help others, even though she has yet to get a job for herself.

Hoping to see more of these children taking full advantage of the help given, to build a better future for themselves.