ISKUL - VOICES OF IMPACT

“Cikgu Shima!” a young girl cries for help, hobbling over on an injured foot. The girl is a stateless Bajau Laut child, who had stepped on a shell and cut herself.

Like all the other kids, she knew to promptly come to Iskul for medical assistance, and to look for Shima.

Shima calmly washed the wound. She medicated it and covered it up in a band aid. This has become routine for her.

This story is just one of a hundred.

Shima gets calls from grown-ups and children every day on Omadal. They are looking for medical help. She has a job teaching the stateless Bajau Laut children at ISKUL. She also serves as coordinator. She is a Community Health Helper (CHH) at ISKUL’s Community Health Centre. (CHC)

Shima provides more than just first aid. She administers basic medication for fever, headache, flu, scabies, boils, diarrhea, cough, and toothache. She treats patients of all ages, including infants.

She underwent two weeks of basic medical training at a clinic in Semporna, along with three other community members. She is now the backbone of our CHC. Since July 2022, more than 536 cases have been seen there. This is out of a population of over 1000 people on Pulau Omadal.

Shima is 18 years old this year. Being a CHH is the closest that she can get to her dream. She wants to become a doctor or a nurse. She has given up hope of ever studying further in medical school. It is a disappointment, but a fact that she, like many in her community, has had to accept.

Despite this, she has worked hard, and now leads our CHC team. She now manages clinic visits for pregnant mothers receiving pre-natal care, and makes home visits to new mothers and their babies. Our CHHs also run our family planning and birth control initiatives for the community.

All aspects of healthcare are important, and unfortunately widely unavailable on islands like Omadal. Shima and our healthcare team are changing that for the community, and we are incredibly proud of their work and their growth.

How can Malaysians make a difference to the lives of our Vulnerable Children?

Often, when people hear about the stateless Bajau Laut children of Semporna, the conversation centres on what they lack: citizenship, access to education, healthcare, and opportunities.

But that is not how we see them. We see children who are curious, resilient, creative, and full of potential. We believe that every child, when given the right opportunities and support, has the ability to learn, grow, and build a future they choose for themselves.

This belief is what began Iskul in 2015. A small literacy programme has grown into a community-run initiative providing education, meals, healthcare and documentation support, youth development, environmental programmes, and opportunities for children and young people to discover their strengths.

Over the years, we have watched children who had never held a pencil learn to read and write. Shy students have become confident young leaders who teach younger children, create films documenting their own stories, protect coral reefs, and contribute back to their community. Some of our educators today were once Iskul students themselves.

But this work is only possible because people choose to stand alongside us.

As a grassroots organisation, Iskul depends on ongoing support to continue operating. One of the most direct ways Malaysians can make a difference is through regular donations. Monthly contributions help us keep our school open, pay our local educators, and provide daily meals for students, ensuring children have a safe and consistent place to learn. Additional support allows us to continue responding to medical emergencies, document Bajau Laut stories and culture, and create new opportunities for young people.

Our vocational students are the oldest group of students at Iskul, and benefit greatly from skills training that may help them earn a living in the future. We are also on the lookout for alternative income sources that are more sustainable for our graduating students, as well as for Iskul operations.

You can play a larger role than you think by simply sharing our story, and making use of the networks that you already have, to channel resources and opportunities to the right places. Many people are still unaware of the challenges faced by the Bajau Laut community and the barriers that prevent children from accessing opportunities that many of us take for granted. By sharing Iskul’s work, our social media, and the stories of our students, you help more people understand why this work matters.

Sometimes, making a difference means connecting us to people who can help. That may be  individuals, companies, foundations, or organisations that may be able to support our cause through funding, partnerships, expertise, or collaboration.

We have learned over the past decade that meaningful change happens when communities are supported. Our goal has never been to “save” a community, but to work alongside them and create opportunities for children and young people to shape their own futures.

Every child deserves the chance to dream beyond the circumstances they were born into. Together, Malaysians can help make that future possible.

https://youtu.be/oViCUK6hmQs?si=RcyukK5Fi8lFhZYX

Please contribute using the reference - “MYHIGOI”

ISKUL: https://iskul.my/contribute/

THANK YOU