Ability to help others should come from within
Cherryn Kelly, an innovator and a thinker who introduced new teaching techniques in the Middle East, considers education as the best way to give back to society. The Malaysian national founded the UAE-based Action Care, an educational consultancy and a social enterprise, along with a small team in 2008.
The Action Care provides innovative and quality training programmes focused on empowering recipients to gain skills, competency and realise their full potential in a creative way. Each programme is a unique combination of presentations and audio-visual materials, with a focus on interactivity and direct application to practical experience. Programmes have been locally developed and tailored to the specific needs of the region. The beneficiaries of her unique teaching system are mostly the weak and the underprivileged children at the charity schools and corporates, who insist on career development courses.
Kelly, who now works as general manager and trainer with Action Care, has introduced teaching practices for teachers; career development courses for youth; and early childhood development programmes for trainers as well as parents in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and the central Middle East. She has been conducting these educational development programmes since 1997.
Being the director of social and educational faculties in Asia and the Middle East over the past 25 years, she believes the ability to help others should come from within. She adds: “We all must make it a habit and try to enrich each-other’s lives through different means.”
“I always felt that it was a life’s calling, I felt from the beginning life should be meaningful and that can only be achieved through making difference in the lives of others and doing good to them.
“I thought education was the best possible way to contribute something good in the society, so I just put all my qualification to use and worked for the initiatives that can empower children, women and everyone in the society.”
Giving key to happiness
“I have lived my life in the belief that if we reach out with a helping hand, a smile or with what’s within our capacity in material wealth, to those around us, we will add to their happiness and the world will be a better place. Life is like a boomerang, what we throw out will come back to us. When we sow happiness, it just fills our own hearts and lives with happiness.
“I firmly support the ‘Year of Giving’ initiative launched by the wise leadership of the UAE. Quoting His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who said: “The Year of Giving is a message of love, tolerance and development conveyed by the UAE leadership and people to the region and the world. Civilised nations are nations whose individuals support one another and everyone works for the benefit of the nation.”
her other major contributions to the society are:
> Gift of Giving: An annual event during the holy month of Ramadan that aims at bringing smiles on the faces of underprivileged segment of the society through fun and interactive programmes > Camp Create: A summer camp programme that combines educational activities with entertainment, drama, excursions and sports. It is designed to make learning a fun so that students can explore beyond books. > english live: it helps students learn English through weekly lessons. The objective of this programme is to build English speaking skills which can help the students in their future or career.
the recent initiatives
In support of the Year of Reading 2016, the Action Care initiated the ‘Read With Me programme’ at the National Charity School for weaker students in reading and comprehension in English or Arabic to strengthen their literacy skills. Read With Me engages regular volunteers in a weekly tutoring programme. The programme enriches the school’s current curriculum and boosts the ongoing efforts of the school to promote literacy in its primary and middle school students. As many as 620 students have benefited from this semistructured weekly reading course and 25 volunteers engaged in this year- round programme.
In 2015, she organised a teacher training seminar impacting 50 teachers at schools for adult learning under the Ministry of Education. Teacher training course motivates teachers in their careers to review the vision of the job of a teacher and enhance their career skills through team-working, how to use leadership strategies, importance of time management, aiming for excellence and developing good classroom culture. The session also included ideas on the modern methodologies of teaching and learning that includes student-centred learning, peer collaboration and cultivating critical thinking and creativity in children.
In 2016 she started ‘The Motivated Empowerment Programme’ (Move), which was designed to build human and social capital and help youth gain skills that can be applied for success on a personal, professional and community level. Development of critical thinking, analytical reasoning, innovative thinking and strong social skills as communication, teamwork skills, cultural understandings and leadership are the key elements of this programme, which have also been highlighted as desired outcomes in the UAE’s 2010-2020 Education. Around 500 high school students at various charity schools benefitted from this programme.
Kelly’s efforts to make education reachable to everyone, has won her several appreciation awards and certificates. She was a recipient of 10th International Womens Award in 2012 hosted by Dhwani Group. She is also on the board of directors with equal opportunity community initiatives in Canada, Jordan and Kenya. She is currently working through her thesis with the University of Liverpool for a doctorate in higher education.
ankita@khaleejtimes.com