Mentors help troubled youth
Activities held to boost youngsters’ morale
KUALA LUMPUR: Suriyan Kaliannan was a wayward teen on the wrong side of the law, until he was enrolled into the Montfort Boys Town (MBT) vocational school.
Now 22, Suriyan, who was orphaned at 12 when his parents died in an accident, works in the administration department of an insurance company and does part-time welding.
Remembering his darkest days, the young man said: “I was influenced into becoming a gangster and a debt collector by lorry drivers when I was in Rawang.
“I was eager to make money on my own. I did not want to beg for it.”
Fortunately for him, , he was placed in MBT in April 2012 some three months later. He then graduated two years after that.
“I changed because I thought about my late father. He was once a respectable figure in the Indian community,” said Suriyan, who was adopted by his father’s best friend.
Suriyan was among 23 youths – 19 from MBT and four from Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) – chosen to participate in Rotary Club Bukit Bintang’s (RCBB) Mission 70: Youth Transformation Mentoring Program from 2013 to 2016.
Throughout the programme, many activities were organised to improve the skills and strengths of the youths, including scaling Mount Kinabalu, outdoor training and opportunities to listen to reputable speakers.
At the closing ceremony graced by RCBB royal patron Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Ja’afar recently, Suriyan also spoke about how the programme had helped him change for the better.
“I learnt much and got along really well with my mentors,” he said.
Another participant, Eugene Wong Sai Kong, 22, said he established a strong bond with his mentors from RCBB.
“I still keep in touch with both of them. Whenever I face problems, I share them with my mentors,” said Wong, also an alumnus of MBT.
“RCBB came over to our school to conduct several fitness tests. I was among those chosen,” he said with pride.
For Ahmad Syamil Ahmad Shuhaimi, 28, he found out about the programme through his university’s Facebook page.
“UniKL was looking for youths who wanted change in their lives and that was how my life has evolved tremendously,” he said.
“I was shy and timid. The programme has helped me improve my communication skills,” he added.
At the event, Tunku Naquiyuddin also launched the Mission 70 Commemorative Book.
RCBB president Johny Sui said that as a mentee, the youth would become a mentor.
“I hope the programme has brought benefits to youth leaders and others,” he added.