Education activist out to help rural kids get out of poverty cycle, realise their potential through NGO platform
GROWING up in a longhouse in rural Betong, Norina Umoi Utot has seen how poverty could hamper one’s life in many ways, but having gotten out of it, she now strives to help underprivileged children achieve their dreams, as many as she can.
Norina remembers how poor her family was that they could not even afford to buy her a pencil.
When she was seven, she decided to leave school because she did not see education as being necessary and would only consider returning if she felt like it.
“It’s very hard to concentrate when you’re poor and couldn’t even afford to buy stationaries.
“At that tender age, school to me was only a playground where I could meet my friends.
“I remember this one time when someone gave me some pencils – I cried upon receiving them.
“A pencil might mean nothing to most people, but it meant a lot to me. Such symbolism encouraged me to do better in school.
Norina (inset) sees the symbolism of a pencil as one that encourages her to do better in school.
“I would never forget my roots.
“That’s what motivated me to set up Persatuan Kebajikan Projek Pensel (Pencil Project Welfare Association), or the PPWA,” this mother of five tells thesundaypost in Kuching.
She regards the association, where she is the chairwoman, as her platform to give back to society.
“When I was gifted those pencils, they motivated and inspired me to continue my education.
“The pencil has become a symbol of hope, one that represents knowledge and not merely a writing material,” she adds.
‘Small step, big impact’
Norina with the children of the longhouse at Jalan Paip, Undop in Simanggang.
PPWA was founded in June 2016, and registered as a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with the Registrar of Societies (RoS) on June 20, 2019.
According to Norina, the association’s core objectives are to elevate the status of education for children and residents in the rural and remote areas, as well as to alleviate the burden of families categorised as low- and middle-income households.
Basically, PPWA provides stationeries to more than 1,000 primary school pupils.
“We provide each pupil with a stationary set that comprises 2B pencils, a ruler, an eraser, a notebook, a set each of colour pencils and crayons, and a schoolbag – for those set to enter Form 1, there is an additional geometry set.
“We also provide some pocket money to those staying in boarding schools.”
Norina reiterates PPWA’s role of raising the awareness among the children and their parents of the importance of education.
“It is especially important for those living in the remote pockets in Sarawak, who are living in poverty and being left far behind in terms of modernisation and technology, to must know that no child should ever be deprived of education.
“I would not be where I am today if it were not for early education. It has opened a lot of opportunities and enabled me to study and work with many internationally-recognised companies.
“This is my message to the parents, the children, the youths, the adults, the community leaders – know the importance of and uphold education.”
Norina points out that for the past years, she and her family have been financing the project personally. Now with PPWA’s status as a registered NGO, the association should be able to obtain financial assistance from the government, corporate organisation via their respective corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes and also individuals wishing to help the underprivileged children in remote villages and longhouses across the state, she adds.
‘Education will take you far in life’
Norina conducts an outdoor class session with the children of a longhouse at Muding, Pantu in Balai Ringin.
Norina’s involvement in promoting education has been vast, including being the chairwoman of Miri Education Group back in 2000.
“I have been involved in education charity for a long time now. During my time working in Oman, I was part of a pencil project that raised funds meant for (buying) schooling materials to be sent to war-torn regions like the Socotra Island, Yemen and Cambodia.”
On her own education background, Norina attended the Tanjong Lobang College in Miri and thereafter, the Lakeview High School in Canada for Grade 13. She later studied at the University of Winnipeg, Canada under Petronas scholarship, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.
After that, she went to Heriott-Watt University in the UK where she received her MBA.
Now her entire household comprises university graduates – her husband Matthew Belaja Gumba, who hails from Rumah Along at Entebar Undop in Sri Aman, graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from Lakehead University in Canada; all their five children are university-educated and are currently working.
Norina has been engaged in various industries including oil and gas and timber, and her work has taken her to all over Malaysia, Kerinci in Sumatera, Indonesia, and also Oman, where she had been based at for 14 years. It was also where her last job was, as a team leader of supply chain management.
“I really wish to see more of my own people strive hard for education.
“I have a big heart for children, those living in rural longhouses, because I was once them. “Indeed, education will take you far in life.”
Norina with her husband Matthew and their five beautiful children.
‘No regrets’
On the criteria of eligibility for PPWA, Norina says the priority is set for primary school-children.
“The only reason we do not normally include secondary school students is because of financial constraints. Our budget is very limited as most of the fund is financed by me and my family.
“Still, we strive to overcome this.”
Norina says outside of Sri Aman, her team has also provided aid in Miri and Pakan.
“Our welfare project also concentrates on orphans and underprivileged students who are about to go to university – those who have received offer letters but facing difficulties like purchasing flight tickets. While they await grants or scholarships, we would help them cover the airfares.”
Being a strong-willed person, Norina regards her journey as ‘one that she has chosen to take and to live’.
“Moving far beyond my comfort zone – it’s hard and risky, but exciting all at the same time.
“I see it as a life of mixed emotions, a life to serve and be of service to others.
“Along this journey, I have found fulfilment and satisfaction by helping the needy and less-unfortunate folks, through some small gestures.”
Through the process, Norina says she has found her voice and her purpose in life.
“End of the day, I can claim that I have lived my life to the fullest – as a daughter of poor, illiterate parents, growing up in a longhouse; as a mother of five children; as a career-woman, a social activist, a politician.
“I have no regrets. If I were to do it all over again, I would do the same things – stepping outside my comfort zone, experiencing all the highs and lows, and giving back whenever and wherever I can.”