1st December is the World AIDS Day (WAD). The initial of this day is so suitable for this day. Imagine those who was infected by AIDS and receive treatment, aren’t they will be placed in a wad of a hospital?
Anyway, just to share the journey of my volunteering experience. It was a wonderful journey. Learning is one of the amazing experiences especially when we learnt how to be more empathetic, is the greatest reward I gained. When I volunteered to this event, Red Carnival organized by PT Foundation in conjunction of WAD, I was exposed to people who may be infected by HIV [we cant tell by the look don’t we], and learnt how it feels like to be in their shoes. I was exposed to the facts and have better understanding of it, although I can’t remember the statistic at my finger tips.
On 28th of November, a day right after my exam, woke up early and depart to Sungai Wang. My role was the “rowing angels” when we row ourselves to seek for donation for PT Foundation. They really need that money, to do for the infected society and to help in preventing the increasing number of HIV infected people, such as giving out safety kit (condom, lubricant).
Approaching pedestrian for donation was the hard part. I feel kind of sorry for them when people just ignore about this issue. You may not care about these people, but please, at least take care and protect yourself. There is no harm of doing a checkup. And ya, don’t wear the “colour glasses”, don’t look down of those people and discriminate those who are HIV positive. What distinct us from them is that they have a virus in them and that’s all. They like us, lead a normal life; they like us, desire satisfaction, fulfillment and confidence; they like us, wish to be treated equally with respect!
Oh ya, besides that, I somehow host a game on stage(?). well, it is actually quite a last minute thing, honestly, I didn’t really prepare for that and I really don’t see it coming, although hours before I was told to assist the intern to organize the game. Well, I think this is the first time for her to be on stage(?), but anyway, she just stunned and not much to say… The atmosphere is kind of “cold” as in not responsive, but thank god the team is spontaneous and outgoing… well, they managed to get people up, that’s what make a team dynamic *applause* at the end, I managed to help her up in elaborating the meaning of the games and hopefully I didn’t screwed up.
It is a tiring and exhausting after the whole day working up and down! I don’t know how much impact I have made, but as long as I did my best, I am satisfied.
Erm, just to express my little dissatisfaction, what discourage me the most is not the crowd that rejected us when we approached for donation, but the people who deceived by the look of the others. I dislike when there is a crowd approaching, and according to their judgment, it seems like the crowd is Mandarin speaking, so I am the one who pushed to the front. I don’t mind doing it for a couple of times but not every time! I have the time when I get tired and just feel like not talking for a moment. It is very sarcastic when we asked people not to be judgmental and they are the one who judge by looks whether they are Mandarin speaking or not. I don’t mind backing them up if the crowd is really mandarin speaking, but as a team, we should do it together not me alone. *sigh* it really reminds me how things can be imperfect when reality sets in.
