Volunteer Speaks!
Fiza's Experience at WAO

Clockwise from left (top row) Sharmini & Shook Fong;
(bottom row) Rozana, Jaclyn, Mary Selena, Vijaya, Fiza, Mien & Mary Fatima

The first time I heard about WAO was at an event organised by a youth group. They had a representative go to WAO and speak to them about wanting to provide volunteers. The first thing I did when I went home was to look it up the Internet. I found the WAO website and liked what I read. I proceeded to send an e-mail to enquire about the volunteer programme and the rest, as they say, is herstory.

I have had my fair share of volunteer work with various organisations before I discovered WAO, including a brief stint at the 5th ICAAP as a reporter for the event newsletter under Malaysian AIDS Council volunteer programme. I was interviewing PLWHA (people living with HIV/AIDS) and had the opportunity to experience some of the helplessness of those battling the disease. It was a very enlightening event where I also learnt that for some participants, commercial sex work is a career of choice (especially for those in developed countries).

My interest in WAO was at first quite selfish, more of wanting to be in the middle of the fight for women's rights, which I only knew as theories that I had read in feminist books and literary criticisms. I was curious and wanted to see for myself what has been done in reality for Malaysian women in need, and whether we face discrimination in the course of fighting for our rights. I was also interested to meet like-minded people outside my Feminist Theory class, so you can imagine how excited I was when Jac, also known as Jaclyn, finally sent me an e-mail to come for an orientation programme at the refuge.

After the orientation came succession of tasks that I found humbling and also eye opening. Some of the things that I have done in the course of the past year are painting some walls of the women's refuge, giving out brochures at the PUTRA LRT stations, interviewing the general public and friends about women's issues, helping raise funds at WAO's jumble sale at Mont Kiara Sunday Market, translating police reports for domestic violence survivors, accompanying them to police stations to make police reports, womanning the WAO Hotline/ WAO booths and also help Shoba catalogue the books in the library.

Since a few months ago my task has been to conduct orientation sessions for new volunteers with help from Jac and Noelle - I'm still an amateur and do have occasional anxiety attacks!
In retrospect, I am glad to have chosen to volunteer at WAO. I have learnt to be more thoughtful about my comments and not make too many general statements. I also have grown more confident in dealing with inquiries on WAO. My views on life and people are constantly challenged and changing because of the knowledge I've gained from meeting women who are not only "controversial" but also very committed to their cause. It is refreshing to know that, in their company, I can just be myself and speak my mind without the risk being condemned.

So, if you are someone who is interested in knowing more about women, women's rights, helping women in need, wanting to contribute to the society or just have too much free time on their hands, WAO is the right place to come to. I recommend helping out at this organisation because not only it's good for your conscience and soul, you might end up learning more about yourself and be thankful that you were born a woman!

Musfiza Mustapa
12 June 2003