JOHOR BARU: Unpleasant experiences happen to people often. But some individuals can turn a negative experience into something positive.
Such a person is Caren Thavanantheny Muniandy.
The 45-year-old single mother, from Batu Gajah, Perak, works as a caregiver, teacher, advisor, trainer, mother, counsellor and mediator to those who seek her help in Johor Baru.
Before becoming a do-gooder, she underwent bitter experience, causing her to separate from her husband while she was expecting her first child.
She felt suicidal but refrained from acting as she was worried about what would happen to her unborn child.
After her son was born, she left him at a childcare centre while she worked.
"I had to feed my child, as I did not receive any kind of help from my ex-husband."
Caren realising she had to fend for herself studied law but had to cut short her studies as she could ill-afford her fees.
She moved to Johor Baru to start a centre known as i-Care Community Centre, where she took in literally anyone who needed help irrespective of race, colour or creed.
Caren takes care of the children by providing them with meals and books and at all times there is a teacher to coach the students.
Those who come to seek her help are those with marital problems, domestic, physical and sexual violence victims, and people with sundry other needs.
"Sometimes when it's about financial help, I normally refer them to some NGOs (Non-Governmental Organisations) or individuals who can assist them," she said.
"I want to ensure the kids from all races complete their studies and have a better future for themselves," said Caren.
She goes the extra mile to provide single mothers with sanitary pads as the sanitary napkins which they were using were unhygienic.
"Many of those who come to seek my help are those with major and sometimes critical problems," she revealed.
She stressed that great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.
"There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up when they need your help," said the do-gooder.
Helping others is not always about giving them money or material things, she says.
"Some people just need a shoulder to cry on or some good advice. And you don't have to be friends with someone to be there for them. This is simply about being human and caring about other people's well-being,"
Caren also conducts motivation classes and holds public speaking and drama lessons for single parents.
"We want to build their confidence level and give them counselling so that they will have the courage to move on in life," she remarked.
Many of the single parents come to her with their daunting problems and some have even contemplated suicide, but "I have told them that will not solve your problem and later counselled them."
"You need to soldier on for the sake of your children as they need to turn to when they want to call "mother," asserted Caren.
She explained that a genuine act of compassion is to feel someone's pain and yet encourage the person to keep going.
At noon there are special classes for children from single parents where they are coached in subjects in which they are weak.
According to Caren, most of these single parents are from the B40 group and can't afford to send their children for tuition.
"I want to ensure these kids from all races complete their studies and have a better future for themselves," she iterated.
Caren is just one unassuming person who shows the joy of offering help, to expect nothing in return. She sees giving as a blessing because of the enriching feeling she receives while extending her hand.