Hope2Kids breaks record with career aspirations camp for kids

The Hope2Kids Soft Skills & Career Aspirations Camp, held on August 22 at Andalas Sports Complex, saw a record-breaking 507 children from 16 shelter homes and informal learning centers come together. Founded in January 2025, the youth-led non-profit organization aims to help underprivileged children discover their strengths, build confidence, and envision their future careers.

Hope2Kids, which had previously organized smaller programs at specific locations, envisioned a day where children from diverse backgrounds could interact, develop soft skills, and participate in team-building activities.

Throughout the camp, participants engaged in a variety of activities designed to enhance communication, teamwork, leadership, creativity, and critical thinking. In "Operation Lost Explorer," blindfolded children navigated an obstacle course using only verbal instructions from their teammates. Meanwhile, "Project Hungry Zoo" challenged them to design, construct, and test their own catapults.

One of the highlights of the event was the Career Marketplace, which featured 35 interactive stations spread across five career themes. The children had the opportunity to act as junior doctors, police detectives, and scientists, as well as budding entrepreneurs who created and marketed their own products. They also acted as archaeologists searching for lost treasure.

For some participants, the camp opened doors to new career aspirations. 13-year-old Kirina from Noble Education Centre, who aspired to be an engineer, felt more confident in her engineering skills after participating in the catapult challenge. Another girl, who had always dreamed of becoming an astronaut, decided to pursue a career in medicine after experiencing the doctor station activity.

The camp also served as an opportunity for participants to form new friendships, particularly from different homes. The outdoor activities provided additional chances for the children to work together, build confidence, and simply enjoy their day as children. Founder Sarah Callista Ng hopes that the camp helped the children discover something new about themselves, such as a potential career path, increased self-confidence, stronger teamwork skills, or a greater sense of belonging.

Ng, one of three Malaysians selected for the Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust Young Leaders Award, aims to continue organizing future editions of the camp with even more career options and hands-on experiences for young participants. "We want to continue to give children the opportunity for self-discovery, help them discover their career interests, and inspire them to dream big," concluded Ng.