PTW volunteers helping the villagers of Embera Wounnan prepare meals for their guests.
PAINT The World (PTW) continues to define love and friendship beyond boundaries with the setting up of its new branch in the Central American country of Panama recently.
The Youth Movement was founded by 22-year-old Mirian Aziza Aznizan and her varsity mates of United World College in the UK in 2015 with the hope to unite the youths in making the world a better place, especially for the underprivileged and needy.
Aziza (sitting, second right) and PTW volunteers with personnel from the Health Department in Santiago.
Since its inception, PTW has attracted international attention with a strong presence in places such as Kuching, Miri, Johor Bahru, UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Georgia, Hong Kong, Oman, Qatar, Timor-Leste, Swaziland, Namibia, Kenya and the latest, Panama.
Of late, Aziza and several PTW volunteers, including her EU Business School, Barcelona colleagues such as Rebecca Yee from Panama, Paola Alguilar (Panama), Josselyn Martes (Panama) and Veronika Ivanova (Russia), embarked on a seven-day trip to Panama to work on the new branch there.
The trip was sponsored by Clinica Yee and Efectimedios Panama. Some well-wishers also sponsored various items, including toys, balloons, shirts, food and drinks.
The team was joined by more than 10 volunteers from the host country.
“Paint the World went to Panama this time as the team has not reached the American continent yet. Many countries in South and Latin America need PTW as the number of underprivileged there is big, and will increase over time,” Aziza said, adding that Panamanians in the team also wanted to spread love in their country.
PTW volunteers with a representative of Panama America Newspaper at its headquarters.
According to her, the PTW team had been spending time with more than 100 children from
Panama City to Santiago.
There were kids all over — Panama is very diverse.
The team visited a centre on the outskirts where there were 33 children (abuse victims or orphans, each with different problems), played games with them and gave food and presents.
“These children are from Guadalupe, Nicaragua, Ghana and Panama. They seem very thankful and disciplined and are cared for by the pastor like his own children,” Aziza observed.
The team also visited an orphanage in Panama, gave the kids KFC, played various games with them before proceeding to the Panama America Newspaper headquarters for an interview.
Third day activities
On the third day, the team called on the mayor of Santiago and the main director of the Health Department.
Bringing Christmas cheers to Hospital Del Niños are Aziza (second left), PTW members and the clown doctors.
After that, they gathered over 100 children for fun and games, gave vaccines for injections and also got the volunteers to do the cooking.
On the fourth day, the team stopped by a native Indian village — the Embera Wounnan — in Panama, spent some time with the children and gave them presents.
They also went out to see the diverse wildlife and waterfalls.
Subsequently, the team called at Hospital Del Niños where they shared the spirit of celebrating Christmas.
“We visited the children’s hospital and joined clown doctors and Leo Club of Panama to bring cheers and distribute gifts to the young patients,” Aziza said.
The visit in Panama ended with the volunteers touring the various tourist spots, including the Panama Canal and Biomuseo, for a look at the history and culture of the country.
“It was, indeed, an amazing experience for everyone,” she added.
Aziza bringing cheers to a child at Hospital Del Niños.
Aziza stressed despite their hectic schedule in Panama, including participating in the various activities early in the morning, the team found the experience well worth it.
“Hearts warmed and smiles exchanged — all happy vibes. I absolutely loved it,” she said, adding that the hospitality of Panamanians made them feel at home.
She noted that in PTW events around the world, youths of different races and faiths — Jews, Christians, Muslims and Buddhists — had been working together.
“They are the ones we can count on becoming responsible citizens of the world. This is what we call friendship and love without boundaries. PTW is a ‘colour-blind’ movement.”
Today, Paint the World with over 1,000 volunteers is running a number of programmes to help the needy and encourage the youths worldwide to work together for a good cause.
PTW members with the children of an orphanage in Panama.
These include #PTWRoadtrip, #PTWChristmasCarol, PTW’s ‘Gift of Christmas Showcase’ and ‘Paint the World Festival’.
Aziza received the state-level Anugerah Perdana Belia Negara (Individual Female Category) from the Youth and Sports Department last year.
She said she would continue contributing to the youths, not only in Sarawak but also nationwide and around the world.
For more on PTW with its slogan If not us, who? If not now, when?” visit its Facebook and Instagram @paintheworldmalaysia.
A tug-of-war with the children.