A few weeks ago I paid a visit(as promised earlier) to Pak Cik Hassan of Al Manar Trust.Unfortunately for me,I could only spend a few hours there as my family and I was on the move.
A little background story of the Trust:
Pak Cik Hassan was a Shell engineer,18 years ago,when he retired he set aside some money and bought 2 pieces of lands near Batu Rakit.
On the beach side he built a cosy beautiful house,and across the road he build a free school for underprivileged children around the area.
The children are from poor families and are being left behind because of their condition.
And for the last 18 years,Pak Cik has been doing what he loves and it shows from his eyes,beaming with pride each time he mentioned the children that had been under his wings.
Pak Cik is soft spoken and very attentive,but like most T’ganu people I know,have a fiery soul and it showed whenever he talks about current issues.
Even at his age(mid 70s),his mind is as sharp as any 20 year old(maybe sharper than most) and I think I could have listened to his thoughts for hours more.
Mak Cik is a very nice warm lady and even my mother(who rarely praise people) told me that it is as if they’ve known each other for ages and in her words”as if I was talking to my own aunt”,even Natrah warmed up to her in seconds and talked to Mak Cik for some time.
It is very hard to do what Pak Cik and Mak Cik do so but unfortunately they received not much help from the 2 universities and 1 higher pedagogical institute just a few kms away from their home.Imagine a few hundreds lecturers/teacher living around the area but not one of them volunteered to help,”They’d rather give paid tuition than volunteer here” as Pak Cik said.
Looking around the school,I could see that Pak Cik is not just teaching the children something from the textbooks but also the spirit of Taawun,self improvement and volunteerism,something that is lacking from the official system.They literally live there as a community that helps each other,Pak Cik provided the place and accomodations(kitchen and dining hall) and the children used them to form their own study groups and syndicate rooms.
I asked Pak Cik if he had seen any difference between the children from this generation and when he started the Almanar and he said”Yes..yes definitely..I saw their moral deteriorating,and they care less about their studies and lifes, I think the culprits are their handphones that take away their focus and their computers that gave them access to things the shouldn’t know,before this I had gathered some of the parents and warned them about these but to no avail”
Even with all the problems he has,Pak Cik still gives his best and he enjoys every minute of the time he spend with his children and that I think is a good way of living.
On the way back I told my wife”I want to do what he does!”
“InsyaAllah..I will support you”she said with a smile.
Yes..InsyaAllah
Pak Cik’s blog: http://almanar-nuri.blogspot.com/
with Pak Cik and Mak Cik
Zetty and Natrah
Pak Cik in front of the Al Manar
