In the winter holidays, 21 of our Year 11 students and five teachers set off on the college’s first-ever service-learning trip to Malaysia, as we build on our many successful service-learning trips to Cambodia. Our college has a long-term commitment to service learning because it’s a crucial way for our students to serve communities while achieving personal and academic growth.
Tatachilla Lutheran College works with the Lutheran Church in Sabah, on the Island of Borneo, where we support their community and many other non-government organisations that work directly alongside Malaysian nationals to help local communities overcome many of the challenges they face, such as social exclusion and economic disadvantage.
During the 14-day experience, our college group travelled the length and breadth of Malaysia from Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Malaysia’s Sabah state, to Kuching, the most populous city in Sabah, to Teluk Intan and the country’s capital Kuala Lumpur on Peninsular Malaysia. Throughout the experience, our Year 11s learned about Malaysia's history by visiting historical sites and places of cultural significance. Staff and students also taught English and provided craft activities for children in a local school and worked with adults and children with disabilities in the community, where fundraising by Tatachilla has contributed to building modest homes, a school, and providing educational resources.
Highlights of the service-learning journey included Bethany Homes, where students worked alongside staff at a daycare centre for people with intellectual disabilities, and visual and hearing-impairments; The Dream Centre, a not-for-profit outreach service; and DumoWongi a social enterprise in Sabah specialising in the natural farming of herbs and edible flowers.
Our service-learning is designed to enable students to learn more about themselves and the world they live in, while meeting genuine community needs and key curriculum requirements. Importantly, service-learning teaches empathy and advocacy at the local, national and global level and is a part of educating the whole child as a responsible, global citizen.
The trip has had a lasting impact on our students with many reflecting on their experiences:
"In Kota Kinabalu, we visited the Kundasang War Memorial. Visiting the memorial helped us better understand the sacrifices these soldiers made and why it is so important to remember and honour their courage. We also visited the Semenggoh Orangutan Wildlife Centre near Kuching, where we were lucky enough to see orangutans in their natural rainforest environment. It was a memorable experience and highlighted the importance of protecting these endangered animals."
- Cerys
"Malaysia for me was a life changing experience. It was an opportunity to step outside our comfort zones, support local communities and experience a culture very different from our own. Looking back now, I realise the greatest thing we brought home wasn't a souvenir, but a new perspective."
- Bailey
"Travelling in Malaysia felt like such a new and exciting experience for me. Seeing firsthand how other cultures live was truly an eye-opening experience. The opportunity we students and teachers were given to learn about such a different way of life made me realise that nothing should be taken for granted. Experiencing such a different culture was a wonderful change from life back home, as we were given the opportunity to get involved with social enterprises like DUMO Wongi."
- Zeke
We would like to thank the Lutheran Church of Malaysia and the organisations that were part of our students’ service-learning experience as well as our dedicated staff and supportive parents and caregivers who made this life-affirming trip possible for our Year 11 students.
