Racism is not just an added stress to individuals of minority ethnic groups, but is a pathogen which generates depression. Racism usually occurs at workplace and schools and is mostly experienced by immigrants and refugees. The immigrants and refugees are often taken advantage as labour force, human trafficking and even cases of rape and child marriage. Their human rights must be protected, so they will have the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education to eradicate poverty, and end child marriage. Being...

In the last two weeks, the Malaysian government had allowed some students to start schooling, and some of them were us. We are going to sit for the biggest examination of our life early next year. It was such a blessing that we're able to meet each other again. Apart from this COVID situation, we're still able to study with each other. This was a picture was taken before the school closed due to this pandemic. We really miss our senior life and we wish that this pandemic could end soon. Personally for me, this really didn't stop me from studying hard and achieving good result so that I can...

Climate change... what about it? You might think that Climate Change is not serious. Well, you're wrong. Climate Change is real and it's happening all around the globe causing natural disasters. Thousands and millions of lives, especially children, are lost due to natural disasters such as flash floods and forest fires caused by extreme droughts. Extinction will most likely occur to animals and that will disrupt the ecosystem. There are people all around the world who are suffering and dying. The people in power are not taking any actions because all they think about is money and economic...

Hey! I'm Anushya! Yeah I'm just your average 15 year old teenage girl who has a pretty normal life here in Malaysia. You know, go to school; eat; sleep; finish all the homework; watch movies; socialize and all that again on repeat. Hahahaha fun right? Well, incase you're wondering, YES; I have insecurities too and YES; i've thought about living in someone else's life before too and YES; i know how you feel. Let me share something vulnerable here. I always feel extremely insecure because of all the acne on my face, the "not-so-model-type" of body I have, the scars and marks I have and a few...

I miss my Friends I miss Going To School I miss Studying In Class I miss Hanging Out At The School's Canteen With My Friends I miss Attending School Events I miss Staying Back Late After School Hours In School I miss Socializing I miss Dining Outside I miss Going To The Mall I miss Tasting Local Food But mainly, I just miss going outside and I believe you do too. In this crucial time, let's put our differences aside and fight this deadly coronavirus together. Due to lockdowns in most countries, people who run their own businesses are facing income drops, big families in rural areas that depend...

A month ago, I attended a webinar called #OurLivesOnline which was organised by Childline Foundation Malaysia and UNICEF Malaysia. Did you know that nine out of 10 children are Internet users? 92% of the Internet users are Malaysian students aged between 13 and 17, they are social media users. How safe are we when we are online? What are the things that we should or should not post? Too much sharing will lead to social issues such as cyber bullying and sometimes the internet will cause mental health which can lead to depression. One of the cases that happened to a 16-year-old ended her life by...

Malaysia's National Children's Day just celebrated over the weekend on 17 October. This year's theme is Keep It Lit. When I first saw this year's hashtag for Malaysia's National Children's Day, it is the perfect theme of all! That reminded me of my dream. I remembered when I was 16 years old, I was asked what were my dreams? Who I wanted to be when I grow up? I thought for a second and said I wanted to be a news personality or a singer. "You'll never gonna make it! They are not realistic enough!" My heart sank when I heard these hurtful words. From that day on, I told myself to never give up...

In society's perception, girls are deemed as weak, soft and gentle. They are the figures who stay at home and the kitchen is sort of their kingdom, and expect to show a caring and sensitive side whenever they can, even if they are in the right. Thus, they didn't have the voice to say anything. That was back in the days but now the time has changed, girls are coming out stronger than ever! Sadly, the reality is we still have to obey some rules. In the Malaysian Chinese culture, especially on weddings, the ceremony it's always a boy to be involved instead of a girl. In the olden times, boys will...

I’m pretty sure we were all mostly begging for school during quarantine. We would tell our friends how much we miss them, and countdown the days till school is finally open. But, when it was time they announced the date, that’s when you realised, oh........shoot! Do I have time? What should I do now? Oh no! I have to communicate with .......p-p-people. Scratch the physical preparations and the supplies and all , ask yourself, is my own mind capable of handling the “norm” again? We must know that we have to face changes a few times in our life. It’s never a piece of cake, so I really hope that...

I miss studying in class I miss my motivated self I miss socializing I miss dining outside But mainly, I just miss going outside and I believe you do too. Due to lockdowns in most countries, people who run their own businesses are facing income drops, big families in rural areas that depend on daily income will not be able to support the whole family for a long time. Students who are taking their final exams this year will be affected. We cannot allow the COVID-19 pandemic to serve as a vehicle for racism and discrimination since we have seen episodes of discrimination against people...

This is a journey that I once had to take, so I hope you can recover and heal as well—from whatever is pulling you down. Especially during times like these. Throughout the years of living as a passionate teen, I figured out how priorities play a huge factor in happiness and sorrow, how they either hold you back or make you advance. Something about this took me so long to realise, that not all of your priorities needed to please someone else. With this in mind, you can actually find endless opportunities and clear goals that will make you happy in the long run. Your priorities will affect your...

For the ones finding a reason to stay— Remember this; You always used to sit and dream of how far you’ll go someday, so as the stars still gleam tonight know that it’s worth the stay. The clusters won’t remain so long, so wipe those tears of dry, hope this adventure never stops, please wait and you’ll see why. The sun will soon expand horizons, with rays that gleam the earth, for sun walks in, with a purpose to burn and embraces her countless worth. So hold on for today my dear, for a splendid tomorrow awaits, cause since the sun and stars still shine today, there’ll lie a shining fate.

Education was originally intended to raise a new generation with more knowledge and innovative thinking. However, the idea of "learning for test scores" is becoming increasingly popular among Asian parents. Malaysia, where I live, is a country where this kind of thinking is common. Some local parents have certain high requirements for their children's academic studies, such as achieving an A grade in subject exams. Considering the high demands of the parents, they all send their children to tuition classes that cover various subjects like Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language), English, Mathematics...

If there was one thing I wished to scream out loud right now, that one thing would be the right for every individual to obtain an education regardless of race, religion, skin colour, country or absolutely anything. Education itself is a human right that must never be taken away from a person. Education gives one the chance to discover more than what they see with bare eyes. It gives many opportunities to change their lives. To make one realise that knowledge is the one thing no one can ever take away from them. Education gives this realisation to the ones who think it's hopeless that hope was...

The fate of the future lies in the hands of the youth. Then, why are we so underestimated? In conjunction with #YouthDay, I'm writing this blog to acknowledge those who have a desire to change the world for the better. Moreover, I'm writing this to shed light on the struggles of young people we've failed to overcome. Finally, I'm writing this to stress how important it is to amplify the voices of people, no matter how old they are. How often do you see younger people being taken seriously by the government and society? I have watched numerous viral videos and read countless headlines regarding...

In the 21st century, no one can go far without proper education, yet so many children around this globe do not get the opportunity to get educated. Why would this still be happening even though all of us know that education is the main priority to prepare children to face this big world in the future? All I can say about this, is mention the ignorance of the governments and the community for not taking the education system seriously. Every child deserves an education, and there are plenty of ways to solve this problem. Not only the governments but the NGOs also have to be active in helping...

One thing people want most when facing change is to gain a sense of familiarity back. And on the journey to obtaining that, the feeling of loneliness becomes a barrier. So when 14-year-old me transferred schools, I feared getting left out a lot. Throughout the first few months, I indeed was a bit isolated from most people. I walked to school alone, always the last to find a pair, and I just had to face the reality of being the new kid— which wasn't fun at all. However, that dreadful feeling didn't last for long. For me, it wasn't one incident that made me feel included. It was the collective...