Yayasan Suria JB (YSJB) – Leveraging each other’s strength!
Over at YSJB, we have built up a team of great volunteers over the years where, literally, we can do anything and everything and never take NO for an answer. It is hard work, patience and persistence to be able produce a formidable team of volunteers with the motto “leadership by example”!
Just to highlight a few things to show the versatility of volunteers – cropping hair. I was the “guinea pig” of having my hair cut by a volunteer and now having proven her worth/skills, she is training other volunteers and soon, we shall be going to Homes to crop hair for our clients. I have volunteered to take up this hair cropping skill – anyone dare to let me have your first cut done by me? No venture, no gain – for at YSJB we try everything and anything.
A failure after you tried is success in our eyes – better than not trying at all!
Recently, we noticed rats in our office as we are next to a restaurant. We laid rat glue and rat traps at the office, storeroom and kitchen. No trace of rat movements at the store and kitchen – only at the office. One of our volunteers told us to buy a particular type of fish, fried only the head and bingo – we caught 2 rats on the first try!
Most of our electrical wiring/extensions were done by another volunteer, indoor plants in the office done by me, being an agriculturist myself and purchase of onions/potatoes/garlic in bulk packed by a group of ladies.
Each has his/her own talents and by doing it all by ourselves, a lot of money is being saved, thus leaving us with more money to help our clients(the poor & needy).
I am impressed and indeed proud to have a great team of volunteers now. Of course, we do have our fair share of “issues” with 48 volunteers in our chat group but we go by this policy of “everyone is equal as volunteers as all are not paid, including me being the Founder” – this has worked well for us!