Judith Lee

Joining Project Luminaire was truly an eye-opener. While I went there with the intention to serve and help the locals, I’ve truly learnt so much from them and if anything, my experiences with them have truly humbled and changed my perspective in various ways.

I was truly amazed by how the children made the most of whatever they had. Despite their limited resources, they manage to live their lives to the fullest. For example, they figured out how to use rubber bands to perform various tricks and games, creating their own entertainment. They were incredibly generous; even though rubber bands were precious to them and they had very few, they still offered to give them to us. The children's genuine and sincere nature was evident in their interactions with us—they would shout our names and run to hug us whenever they saw us. No matter how tiring the day was, this always uplifted my spirits and motivated me to give my best in serving the community.

Honestly, part of me still feels that my contribution has been limited in terms of making a long-term difference in their lives. While I gave my all during my time with the locals and we shared many fun and memorable moments, it pains me to think that the locals would most probably continue their same way of living and resources, such as electricity and things that are so readily accessible to us back home such as fans, well-dimmed classrooms, etc, would still be inaccessible there. I sincerely hope that I will get the chance to visit them again and that Project Luminaire will continue for many years to come, with each year bringing more lasting long-term impacts to the community in Alao Elementary.