Kan Fook Keong March 2023 SENIA World Changer Award Recipient

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Kan Fook Keong is a special education teacher in Sabah, Malaysia. Despite originating in Selangor that is more well-developed, Kan chose to stay teaching at a vocational school in the rural areas of Sabah, the least developed state, since 2012. He has guided the special needs learners comprising those with learning disorders as well as those with hearing impairments in many disciplines like sports and painting. During the pandemic, he discovered an alternative to students presenting their projects in innovation contests in sign language. As a result of his effort, he was able to train a team of hearing-impaired students to participate in several innovation contests and earned many medals. 

Kan is dedicated to the well being of his students and started a food project that prepares vegan meals for the students to promote healthier lifestyle with minimal environmental harm. He did this after learning that many of his students were either vegetarians or vegans.

Kan has been instrumental in supporting the dreams and passions of the students at Keningau Vocational College.  He is indeed a World Changer!

Congratulations to Kan Fook Keong for being a SENIA World Changer!

Sarah Anne Bulman January 2023 SENIA World Changer Award Recipient

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Sarah has always had a unique perspective on life. Her neurodiversity enables her to see beauty and value in unexpected ways. Sarah manages to find meaningful ways to share her thoughts, feelings, and part of herself through Art. All her paintings have elements of inclusivity to it and seeing her artworks make people see a different perspective to life, even the darker things, because Sarah finds beauty in them. She gives voice to the powerless and shows the beauty of the forgotten. Sarah is very reflective and highly empathetic and cares about all living beings, even the smallest creatures.

Congratulations to Sarah Anne Bulman as the recipient of the SENIA World Changer Award January 2023!

Here is a link to Sarah’s photos and artwork:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p6CAh4t44Pezf1ybcadHv6HoF002RQD3/view?usp=sharing

Lana Abon October 2022 SENIA World Changer Award Recipient

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Lana Abon is a special education teacher in the rural area of Sabah, a Malaysian island state. She teaches students with hearing impairments and students with learning disorders. She has successfully trained three special needs students to qualify for Asian English Olympics, the most prestigious English language competition in Asia, in the storytelling category. The three students became the first special needs learners to ever compete in the event in 2021. This unprecedented achievement has broken another barrier for special needs learners in the region which proved that such learners can compete in events that are often reserved for non-disabled learners. The news on these students’ participation in that renowned competition became viral on the local social media pages which inspired many educators. She regularly organizes field trips for her students to travel around Sabah which she managed to finance via fundraising activities that she initiated for this specific purpose.

Congratulations to Lana Abon as the SENIA World Change Award winner for October!

Her students’ storytelling videos: https://youtu.be/9QqLsH2Hfks

Alexius Ignatius September 2022 SENIA World Changer Award Recipient

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Alexius Ignatius was the first Malaysian to win a gold medal at an international art festival with his animated tale. The monthly art festivals hosted by Festival Bridges headquartered in Europe was the one of the most competitive art contests in the world and Malaysia only managed to clinch bronze or silver medals in the past. Hence, his gold medal was considered a breakthrough feat and what made it more astounding was that it was achieved by a special needs learner. Alexius was a regular volunteer that took an active role in assisting his school teams in many competitions and activities. He offered to be on the prop crew for the school theater which eventually won the district contest and managed the softball team that placed second in the district tournament. He led the special needs learners’ fundraising food kiosk to finance their field trips.  

Congratulations to Alexius Ignatius as September’s SENIA World Changer Award Winner!

Listen to Alexius’ animated tale here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O66kqOfKlpA

Avyasvina Istiniza Anak Unong August 2022 World Changer Award Recipient

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Avyasvina Istiniza Anak Unong is a special educational needs educator who has played a major role in training the special needs learners at her school to partake in various art competitions through alternative means.  This has resulted in unprecedented achievements from the student body and  drew national interest. She trained the students with hearing loss to perform monologue and poetry in sign language and helped students with specific learning disorders to be voice actors for animated storytelling. These students earned various medals and prizes in online and remote art and literary festivals. They have been invited to perform at several events including a national convention focusing on inclusion of the special needs community. The impact of her work went beyond her school as the students’ performance videos were shared widely and one performance video was shared by one of the country’s education leaders as well as the ministry of education on social media.

Congratulations to Avyasvina Istiniza Anak Unong as August’s SENIA World Changer Award recipient.

Here is one of her student’s performances: https://youtu.be/wCpXe-Mx-Q4

Hajime Chiba June 2022 SENIA World Changer Award Recipient

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Hajime is a voice of self-awareness, acceptance and inclusion. He is a 9 year old boy, who currently attends Concordia International School, in Hanoi, Vietnam.  He was diagnosed with ADHD in grade 2 and strategies were put in place to support him at home and at school. Hajime raises awareness and inclusion around ADHD in his community through education.  He does this by delivering video presentations educating the students and teachers at Concordia International School about ADHD and the needs, challenges and successes that goes along with it. He sees his difference as a superpower and inspires others to do the same. He allows an accepting space for others to relate and identify with their own learning needs. He aims to be an influence of acceptance to a wider community in the future. Congratulations Hajime on sharing your superpowers with others!

See Hajime’s presentation on his ADHD brain.

Congratulations to Hajime Chiba as June’s SENIA World Changer Award recipient!

Xueyue (Lele) Shen May 2022 SENIA World Changer Award Recipient

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Lele is a grade 2 student from Keystone Academy in Beijing, China who is building a better, more inclusive school community, one classmate at a time.  He is a curious and intuitive boy who is always striving to become a better learner.  While his classmates may have reacted initially with surprise to his disability, Lele continues to educate and be himself.  He has won the respect of his classmates through his positive interactions with others and in the process has driven his entire community to become more inclusive and positive. Way to go, Lele!

Congratulations to Xueyue (Lele) Shen as this month’s recipient of the SENIA World Changer Award.

Aaron Yong Tzy Seng April 2022 SENIA World Changer Award Recipient

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Aaron Yong Tzy Seng is from Sabah, Malaysia and has many skills like making beautiful furniture or telling an animated tale. The teachers at his school discovered Aaron’s talent for the English language and his ability to proficiently narrate stories. As a gifted voice actor, he won first prize at online international competition “Under the Skies of Australia” on February 20th, 2022 in the animated storytelling category. He received national notoriety and was featured on Malaysian TV and appeared in the weekly educational column of a prominent English newspaper, The Star.  His achievements have paved the way for more individuals with disabilities to venture into animated storytelling and showcase their talents.  Thank you for leading the way, Aaron! 

Congratulations to Aaron Yong Tzy Seng as this month’s recipient of the SENIA World Changer Award!

See Aaron’s storytelling here: https://youtu.be/DgSIeM90szE

March 2022 Newsletter

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February 2022 Newsletter

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Pivot”- Ross Gellar, TV Show: Friends

One of my favorite scenes from Friends was when Ross, Rachel, and Chandler tried moving a large couch up a narrow staircase. Ross kept yelling “pivot” and I laughed until I cried.

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