Former diplomat explains to Nilai UC students the many benefits of being actively involved in voluntary work.
"Volunteerism will give you experience which you cannot get from regular employment. Volunteerism can define you and help you grow as a person," declares Dato Lily Zachariah, former diplomat and spokesperson for the Dignity for Children Foundation, to students at a recent talk at Nilai University College (Nilai UC). "There are many benefits to being involved in voluntary work, just not monetary gains."
She also told students to follow their heart when deciding to volunteer. "Do not volunteer for a cause you know nothing about unless you are willing to learn. Keep your eyes and ears open as there are plenty of worthwhile causes which you can get involved in," counsels Zachariah. Spelling out the differences between activism and eco-volunteerism, Zachariah pointed out that it is not difficult to find a cause that fit a person's interest as well as time schedule. She understood that being a young adult in higher education meant that full-time volunteerism is not a feasible idea for everyone. But nonetheless, she feels that every effort should be made to get involved as volunteerism is an enriching experience which will help develop soft skills and expose volunteers to people from different walks of life. She also points to statistics that show a high percentage of employers favouring graduates who have been involved in some form of volunteer work. "This is because it gives your CV that vital ingredient of experience," says Zachariah.
The former diplomat has served as Malaysia ambassador in many countries including Senegal, Guinea and Burkina Faso and has served in various capacities in Malaysian embassies around the world. She says she was used to dealing with the ruling establishment as they discussed policies and trade agreements. However, through her voluntary work she is able to see those who live on the other side of the fence and understand their problems. For instance, through her work with the Dignity for Children Foundation, she has come to realise the needs of refugees and their children are very different from ordinary citizens. Their plight includes the need for training and education as the children are unable to attend public schools and the Harvest Centre in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur (which is operated by the Dignity for Children Foundation) conducts necessary training and tuition classes. This enables the children to obtain some formal education which will help greatly when the children are relocated to a third country in the future.
Zachariah was speaking as part of the Graduate@Today series of lectures at Nilai UC. These are talks by speakers of note who are invited to share their experiences and wisdom with Nilai UC's student populace. Other speakers who have graced this event in the past include Royal Prof Ungku Abdul Aziz who spoke about the importance of reading and also Datuk Dr Mohd Tap Salleh, president of Malaysian Institute of Integrity, on the issue of integrity.
She also took time to respond to questions from students and staff, telling a Nilai UC student from Japan how he could best help his fellow countrymen recover from the recent tsunami and earthquake disaster. She also encouraged those with the time to spare to help out at the Harvest Centre. "Any help teaching these children is greatly appreciated. I can assure you that the satisfaction of seeing these students learn and progress in their studies will be priceless," she says. "There may be no monetary reward to volunteerism but there is plenty to be gained from it."
The Graduate@Today series of lectures are part of Nilai UC's 'Enrichment ofr Life' philosophy. The task of educating students and broadening their horizons is not limited to the classroom. These talks are designed to expose students to key ideas and values such as ethics, integrity and volunteerism. For more information on Nilai UC and ts programmes, please visit www.nilai.edu.my or call 06-8502308/07-2262336/03-79603089/088-238811.
