Special Children

I am so happy seeing him so happy.


This is just so natural. He showed the peace sign to me the moment I point the camera towards him.

Few weeks ago, I actually volunteered to take some photos for Pusat Perkhidmatan Intervensi Awal (PPIA) of Batu Pahat, together with some other Batu Pahat Kiwanis Club members during PPIA's Annual Talentime Competition for Special Children in Batu Pahat. PPIA is a non-profit organisation that caters to the needs of special children in terms of their learning activities and social adaptability, in order to facilitate them into the society as normal as possible as a human being.


Mr. Loh Lian Teng, The Man behind all this.

It was being held at the ever famous Katerina Hotel of the ministerial sex scandal fame on a Sunday afternoon. I felt a bit lazy as a matter of fact! HAHA. I must say I am still a little tired after a day-trip photo shoot one day earlier in KL for Baby Jayden - for his 1st birthday party at the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC).


The very first contestant.

It was actually just a 5 minutes drive on a Sunday afternoon from my house to the venue. I am quite on time as planned, though. As I arrive at the hall, I was really amazed to see the hall almost packed! It was also this time that made me realised that there are many families with a special child in their household and more often than not, these child do get a lot of love and care from their family members and friends, as can be seen from the audience facial expression and action.




A young poet!


Can you do this? A "TV"!


Slam Dunk! A star in the making!

Of course, after all the standard protocol speech and introduction, the competition begins.
The kids are, I must admit, to certain extent, talented or at least very capable in handling the many activities and "tricks" that they were taught, showing their talent from singing, dancing, reciting Chinese classical poem to some acrobatic stunts!! I am totally amazed.


The panel of judges.

Getting the other kids ready for the next performance.
Watching them perform give you a sense of how lucky we are , how fortunate our love ones, our own kids are, and yet we sometimes still are not contented with what we have or not spending enough time with them, missing out a large portion of their growing up years!


They are just so cute.


This group performance was one of the liveliest of all.


Courage and pride, I see in them.

However, what I saw through my lens during their performance, is a scene full of courage, determination, perseverance, patience, pride, love, and most importantly hope, coupled with pain and fears as well as can be seen in some of the kids' look. It would not be possible for some of these kids to go up and perform almost flawlessly in their own standards in front of a packed audience of around 500 people!, without their teachers who worked very hard and showed lots of love to train them day after day.


The older boys taking lead.






The happy one.


The not so happy one! She wasn't very happy with me for taking photos of her.




This boy is a maverick at the powerpoint presentation!

The hardwork, love and patience from the teachers and the children's own effort, perseverence and determination allowed the chemistry to spark a kind of relationship that eventually allowed these special kids to do some extra ordinary activities for themselves as well as for their families and teachers. I dare to say that all parents and teachers would be very very proud of what their kids can do and did up at the stage! Very much indeed, even for myself.


The proud parents of a participant with their son who introduced them to the audience.
I must confesed that during thoses moment, I was thoroughly touched and moved by their performances and those attributes I mentioned in the whole show - to the extent I actually was moved to tears! Never in my photo shoot that I experience these, but let me tell you that it does moved me to tears!!!!



A teacher ochestrating the kids

The audience and some participants


The excitement and proud moment of a teacher


Muhibbah

I managed to composed my emotion and tried discreetly to wipe off a few drops of tears and moved to the backstage. This is where I was bestowed with the biggest gift of the day (in photographic terms) - beautiful lightings with the special children taking a break and/or waiting for their turn, behind the stage! The rest of the stories, I will tell through my photographs.

Enjoy the photos.