The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.114).

2019 • 09 14 eature would organize special classes during the school holidays to provide refuge to students from negligent families, while establishing closer rapport with the students along the way. Mutual communication is crucial in earning the students’ trust and motivating them to strive for better academic performance, hence the need for the intervention of a teacher who shares the same ethnicity and language as the students. The core principles of education transcend borders, yet nothing comes close to transmitting knowledge in a language that speaks to the learner’s heart. Sharing a common language with the teacher also enables the students to let their guard down and feel at ease when expressing themselves. Mallika KN Nambiar, a volunteer tutor who has joined the tuition programme since its inception, has been assuming the important role of bridging the communication gap between the volunteer team and the students. Over the years, the students seemed to have developed a trusting bond with her, filling the void in their lukewarm relationship with their absent parents. Moving forward, sincere tutor- student ties are a step in the right direction that the volunteer team finds encouraging. Driven by compassion Mallika is well aware that Tzu Chi is a Buddhist organization with a volunteer base that is largely of Chinese ethnicity. Yet, she noted that the volunteers are ever willing to dedicate themselves to the welfare of the children of the local Indian community. The bespectacled Mallika formerly taught at a public secondary school before opting for early retirement. She used to be a volunteer tutor when she was still a public school teacher. As a retired teacher, she feels obliged to give back to her community by utilizing her expertise to Retired teacher Mallika KN Nambiar has been volunteering as a tutor for Tzu Chi’s after-school tuition programme, guiding her students in environmental conservation.