Water.

And so this is the first step to making any difference in the world. I'm currently here, working hard. On a Saturday night during the well-deserved school vacation. Drawing water filters, getting the procedure right. So I was told by the locals that cement would "eat" your fingers. Yes, it does indeed. But perhaps if mere skin could exchange for Life, what then would it matter.

I'm glad for being here. Not as a "volunteer", but to really learn & hopefully, to contribute with the intention to make a resonating impact. Am truly thankful for the opportunity. It's one I'd say that I can stand on my own two feet, not one to just rely on a teacher who guides a pack of clueless students. It's been nearly a week that I've been here, yet everything that I've learnt from my Cambodian mentor, the gratitude from the beneficiary households, the passion from the foundation's staff, have really been eye-opening and gratifying. Though I'd be lying if I said I've no qualms about forgoing R&R time, I still believe that this is one experience that's potentially life-changing. I've empathised with the plights of the underprivileged, but now I've truly seen how people are changing the lives of others in genuinely practical ways, so unconditionally.

Cannot say how much I'm thankful to the people who sent me here. (: