[00:00:00] Walter: The Hearts of Gold Podcast is brought to you by the Grow and Share Network, produced by off the Walter Media Productions.
[00:00:14] Sheryl: Welcome to Hearts of Gold. Today we have Mehaa with us. Hi Mehaa.
[00:00:19] Mehaa: Hi. Nice to meet you.
[00:00:21] Sheryl: Nice to meet you. Can you tell us about your Girl Scout Gold Award project?
[00:00:26] Mehaa: I installed a computer lab in a village called Malaki Village in Campot Cambodia. And through this computer lab, students and children are able to learn and still gain an access to education through the comfort of their own homes.
[00:00:43] Sheryl: What prompted this project?
[00:00:45] Mehaa: Initially, I visited Campot Cambodia in around like 2019, and from there I realized how big of an issue there was with an education divide and. , many of these children are unable to get an access to education due to economic concerns as well as like obstacles with transportation.
[00:01:06] As this village was a bit isolated from the more urban and commercial areas of Campot Cambodia, and due to this, many of these children are forced to work for their parents or gain. More money for their families versus getting an education and being a more sustainable way of getting out of this positive feedback loop of staying in the village and not being able to get out.
[00:01:33] And a lot of these girls are denied an education because they are still a bit behind in terms of where we are today. As we are in this bubble, we don’t really realize what circumstances girls go through across the globe, and the same issue exists all over the globe. And because of this, I realized that if I use this as like a sample project, this could be a blueprint for a solution for a various places across the globe.
[00:02:02] So using Campot Village as the first area, many other people can be inspired and choose the same resources. And. I guess process to address this issue in other places across the globe.
[00:02:15] Sheryl: How did you get the equipment that you put in your computer lab?
[00:02:19] Mehaa: So I first started talking to my parents and friends and just within the small circle, many people were willing to give their computers that they weren’t using.
[00:02:30] We only collected computers that were Windows 10 and MacBooks. So these children did have good resources to use and were able to use this for like the next couple years. For sure. So, From there, it’s spread like a wildfire. People started talking about my project, my flyers were reposted by friends.
[00:02:47] Friends of friends. And my friends in Malala Fund also shared it with their peers. And soon many people were reaching out, emailing me, texting me, trying to figure out a way to Donate these resources to help these children in Cambodia. The lack of education for poverty stricken kids and those whose daughters are denied an education is an evident problem we see worldwide.
[00:03:11] And I think people saw that and realized that Campot Village is a small part of this big puzzle, which can be solved piece by piece in like many places where the same need has to be filled. . The thing was, once I visited, I actually went to visit Malachi Village a couple years ago, and I held this little workshop with these children and many of them were very sh like they were very sharp and were able to understand things that I was saying.
[00:03:41] And even though they were so isolated, they were still able to retain so much information. And I think that’s when it struck me that these children are like so capable of. Getting out of this village and break away from the shackles of this poverty that they have been connected to for their entire lives.
[00:03:59] And like their parents have been there for their entire lives. And the issue is that they aren’t given a hand and they just need like one push to. Have extra resources where they can move out of this place. So from there, that’s when when it came time to think about my Gold Award project, I realized that I wanted to do something with these children, especially after having a firsthand experience with them.
[00:04:23] I realized that they could be like exhibit A of what could be done, and just like how a small thing can help a huge group of people come out of a poverty stricken circumstance.
[00:04:37] Sheryl: How has your project continued since you finished your Gold award?
[00:04:41] Mehaa: The issue with my gold award was that I conducted it during Covid.
[00:04:46] So while I was conducting research and was talking to people at World Molecular World Missions, which was the organization that I partnered up with throughout this project, I came to realize that I will do all the research, create this online classroom platform especially since we were also using.
[00:05:05] Online platforms as our like singular source of education. Almost everyone around the globe was on online school, so these children, if they have that same access, they’re getting basically the same education as us. So I put together a couple resources and uploaded it to their online classroom and. , the biggest issue was how are we gonna get the computers to Cambodia?
[00:05:30] And especially with all the travel blocks, I wasn’t sure when the next time we would be able to even like, Where, where someone would be able to even get to Cambodia. But a little bit after the Covid roles relaxed, there were volunteers that were actually headed towards Cambodia that were taking these computers with them and they were able to install it.
[00:05:52] And from there, these children, Are able to go there after their workday or whenever they can. Cuz it’s community centers the way they all come together and can be children for once. And especially cuz there are like so many volunteers that go there every month. And there are teachers that are there, they’re able to take care of the computer lab and make sure it’s in good condition and these children are able to make the best use of it.
[00:06:14] Even now and especially with the women and girls who were taken out of school earlier on versus even the male children. Now they’re able to still gain access to a basic education and at least get basic knowledge over certain topics. That they weren’t able to get beforehand cuz they had to work strict hours for their families or work or whatever that may be.
[00:06:40] So yeah, it’s, it’s been really inspiring to see this computer lab still being used so efficiently, otherwise these women and children weren’t able to gain such access to such resources. Even though it’s just like 10 to 15 laptops and computers that were sent. That’s all it took for them to. Expand their knowledge and their education.
[00:07:04] Sheryl: You’ve mentioned a couple of your team members. Can you share who helped you during this project and what they gave to you in order to support you on this journey?
[00:07:15] Mehaa: initially, my mom actually told me about where Milwaukee World Missions. She went to a fundraising gala where they were raising money to initially build the community center where the computer lab is in today.
[00:07:26] From there, my mom actually talked to Ms. Link Abasi, who is the founder and director of Malachi World Missions, and from there we started slowly. engaging with this nonprofit where we would raise money to get school supplies for these children. And me and my mom we gathered school supplies that we had and donated it to their classrooms and clothing.
[00:07:50] Toys. Food, all sorts of things. We started slowly engaging with this nonprofit, and from there our relationship strengthened. And when it came time to my Gold Award, it just only made sense to work with them. And Ms. Abasi was so helpful throughout the entire process. She was able to like answer suggestions and like questions that I had about the microscopic issues that the residents in Milwaukee Village faced while also receiving help with taking the computers.
[00:08:20] From like Sugarland to Cambodia, which was so helpful. She was always like eager to respond to any, like, provide any feedback and suggestions and answer any questions about the resources and infrastructure of the village that I had. So in terms of firsthand, Help, it was Ms. Langa Bossi and the volunteers at Malachi World Missions.
[00:08:42] Along with that, my mom was also so helpful at every step of the process, she was able to like, drive me anywhere to pick up computers that people had. She drove me to downtown Houston one day to pick up computers. And she also provided like help with suggestions that I had. Like the online classroom, and especially since I worked on this during covid, it got a bit isolating at times, I would say, because.
[00:09:07] You know, like I always envisioned my gold award to be like so hands-on surrounded by people. But although I had a good team and backbone to support me throughout the entire process, the times where I had to do a lot of research and I guess 95%, or I guess 80% of my project was a bit isolating. And that was something that I wasn’t expecting throughout my process.
[00:09:31] But my friends were able to help me with research. They were also helping me refurbish the computers. So my friends and family and the volunteers at Molecular World Missions were probably my biggest support system. And also my advisor, my Girl Scout advisor, Ms. Bebe, she was so helpful when it came time to submitting my reports for the Gold Award, she was able to provide.
[00:09:57] Perfect, like specific feedback on how to improve things. If any other Girl Scouts are listening to this or other girl Gold award, girl Scouts they probably know like how like frustrating and tedious the report can get sometimes because the council is very strict with how they review the gold award projects.
[00:10:15] So that entire process would not have been possible without my Girl Scout advisor, Ms. Bibec, and even after my project, we still keep in touch and she’s just been so supportive and helpful. And I think that was something that I wasn’t expecting going inside my Gold Award project. I didn’t expect to gain or meet new people that were gonna be so supportive in this project.
[00:10:39] It was very I guess like refreshing to see so many people come out and help. And also the entire community, people that I don’t even know came out to help and donate laptops, which was. Inspiring to see that during times of crisis, like during Covid, people are still willing to help in whatever way they can.
[00:10:55] And while there were times where I thought my project would’ve been impossible because I didn’t, I mean there was so much uncertainty with Covid that it was just very, I guess, surprising to see everything pan out exactly how I wanted it even better. So, yeah, I wouldn’t have done it without the help of all these people.
[00:11:16] Sheryl: What’s a favorite memory from your project?
[00:11:19] Mehaa: Visiting the Malachi World Missions Community Center. Going there, we held like this one day workshop where we just did a bunch of arts and crafts. We taught them English, quizzed them on English, we played games, and we also had like this workshop to. Expose them to computer literacy.
[00:11:38] So knowing what keys to use, like how to use a computer and I guess like improving that like device, like digital language was really fun. And I think that’s what I always, it was because I always envisioned my Girl Scout Gold Award to be so hands on and surrounded by people and to be immersed into a community, whether it be my community or a community across the globe, which it was, it was a very inspiring experience.
[00:12:05] It was so fun to like work with all the children and see how like their eyes lit up at like flashcards. And I think it will, it was also enlightening to see that you don’t require such like intricate devices, like as even like a laptop or computer to improve an educational experience and to I guess like make children excited to learn.
[00:12:29] The fact that these children were so excited over flashcards and. Little like styrofoam letters was I guess a turning point and like what sparked my. Eagerness to develop a computer lab in the village because if these small resources are able to excite them and improve their connection and relationship with education, like the world is their oyster when it comes to being given a whole, like 15 laptops and computers where they have access to the same resources.
[00:13:02] The children in like first world countries were using that we’re using in college to still be connected to education. So I would have to say that was my favorite moment in the course of my project. And I guess being able to interact with the children and the faces of. The other side of like who’s being helped in my project was also I think, very crucial to do right before I started all the research and more logistical things of my project.
[00:13:32] Because whenever times are rougher, times are hard, I remember those moments that these were the children that were helping. I was able to interact with them and know them and like that was a constant. Fuel for like the gear to continue with my project and push through hard times and obstacles when things were uncertain.
[00:13:50] I knew that one day they’ll be able to have a computer lab whether it was at the end of 2020, which I didn’t know when Covid was gonna be fully relaxed. I think that was like the one driving force and very crucial point of my Girl Scout project.
[00:14:05] Sheryl: I’d love to delve into that a bit more. Your reflection is so heartwarming and oftentimes when Girl Scouts are looking for a gold word project and thinking about what’s of interest to them, they don’t always connect a passion to their project.
[00:14:21] And I heard that passion in what you just shared. Can you give some advice to Future Gold Award Girl Scouts on. Figure out what that passion is for them in order to make a project that they love.
[00:14:36] Mehaa: Education and digital divides weren’t really a passion for me when I first was a Girl Scout, or even at the beginning of the high school, there were various.
[00:14:46] Fields of things that I was like passionate about, but this wasn’t even one of them at the beginning. So I think the first thing I would say is that what you might be in inspired by or passionate about in the beginning, or when you’re thinking about your gold award, something else might come up where you find that more intriguing or find a passion that you didn’t know existed beforehand.
[00:15:05] I wasn’t always like anticipating working on this, like since I was like a junior or even a cadet. This definitely came like right before. or right as I was thinking about my gold award which is like perfect timing. So I would say be involved with your community, work with organizations and I guess nonprofits or community service events that you wouldn’t have worked on beforehand.
[00:15:29] With my Girl Scout troop, we did a lot of community service throughout the course. Almost a decade of being a Girl Scout. We made blankets for animal shelters. We had an annual like canned food drive. We made like little baskets for the local women’s shelter. Things like this really like exposed us to various facets and various issues that existed within our community.
[00:15:49] So I think. It’s, it’s pretty beautiful how like my gold award was an issue that affected the community across the world and I was able to attend to that. And however I may be doing that, I would just say to be involved and like, don’t be afraid to reach out. I wouldn’t have even heard of this organization if my mom didn’t go to that fundraising event.
[00:16:12] So by going to that and like hearing about it and wanting to learn more about it and being engaged in that Like solely just like being able to donate things and helping out with their, like donation, circulation and things like that. I, I would just suggest like being more involved with your community and you’ll hear more about like, things that are happening within and beyond your own backyard.
[00:16:35] So yeah, that’s, that’s my advice for Girl Scouts.
[00:16:38] Sheryl: You mentioned that you have a wide variety of interests. Can you share what some of those interests are?
[00:16:46] Mehaa: A hobby that has been with me since. For as long as I can remember is dance. I do two types of dancing. One is bharata natyam which is from the southern part of India, and the other one is O D C, which is from the eastern part of India.
[00:16:59] Both of them are Indian classical dance forms, and I am trained in both of them. And I had my dance graduation for O D C a couple years ago in 2019, and that was a collection of. Pieces where me and my sister performed together and it was like a beautiful repertoire that we were able to share with our friends and family.
[00:17:21] Now, as a dancer, I’m actually on a dance team at college and that has been really fun to burn off some steam and be able to still be active. Within the midst of like a busy college routine. And on the weekends whenever I see my sister, I, you know, like learn like TikTok dances or learn like choreograph and perform other dances with my sister still.
[00:17:46] So I’m still connected to dance in like no matter what avenue or outlet that may be. And I also am really involved with environmentalism. I did water scarcity research for like throughout high school and continued to work on it today. I developed I dual water toilet flushing system that saves a hundred percent freshwater.
[00:18:08] So through that I’ve like continued to develop and research on that project, which. one of my bigger, like, passion projects along with my gold award. So yeah, that is two of the big things that take up my time and two of my biggest like hobbies, but I also love going on hikes and I love baking and cooking and try and get new recipes, which hasn’t been the easiest in college, but yeah.
[00:18:35] Sheryl: Am I correct in understanding that you also had a campaign with Snapchat?
[00:18:40] Mehaa: Yes. I was able to spread my awareness about water scarcity and gain awareness about the whole topic through a Snapchat original series called First Person, where they show different people across the globe that are having a firsthand experience in helping save the bad. Future of our environment and I was able to feature in the first episode where we talk about ways we can save water in our daily routines.
[00:19:14] And I also was able to share my dual water toilet flushing system aria in the episode as well. So I guess storytelling is a huge passion of mine and whether that be be through being on this podcast here and sharing about my Girl Scout Gold Award or gaining awareness. The global water crisis on Snapchat.
[00:19:33] I really love like sharing my experiences and helping others be inspired to go on embark on adventures where they wouldn’t previously. I love sharing my experience with other people and talking about it.
[00:19:44] Sheryl: What other girl Scout experiences have you had?
[00:19:47] Mehaa: The sleepovers that we would have at our local baseball stadium, our skeeter stadium.
[00:19:51] We would go and we would set up tents on. Baseball field after the game and we would just stay up all night watching a movie and like spending time with our Girl Scouts. And it was a very manicured camping experience. And that is the extent of which my camping experiences went. But it was such a special time and it was something that I always looked forward to.
[00:20:14] I did it till the very last year of me being a Girl Scout and. I think that was one thing that made me closer to my other Girl Scout friends and made me feel more like a Girl Scout as well. I also was able to like work on my Silver Award with those same Girl Scouts, so we actually partnered up with alliance club and collected glasses and recycled them to third world countries and people that didn’t have.
[00:20:39] The ability to have glasses. Some people were able to like see clearly for the first time, which was also very inspiring to do as a little seventh grader. My community, our San Jacinto girl Scout community was very, very amazing where we had so many events for Girl Scouts and it was such a beautiful community and I was so, I’m so grateful to be part of it.
[00:20:59] But we would also have like Twilight Camp, which was like this little summer. Three day summer camp that we would do every summer and do like archery and arts and crafts. And that is like a memorable girl scout memory as well. But all of these events together, community service and all these like fun little memories that we were able to share has been such an amazing part of my Girl Scout career.
[00:21:23] And to be able to cap. Cap that off with this gold award was very fulfilling to be able to like, give back to the community that raised me and give so much to me as well so.
[00:21:33] Sheryl: What are your plans for your future?
[00:21:35] Mehaa: As of right now, I’m in college. I’m studying in mechanical engineering. Hopefully within the next four or five years I graduate with my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and from there I’m not really sure where the world takes me, but I hope to still be a part of.
[00:21:52] Girl Scouts in some way. And I saw a little cookie booth the other day and it just like reminded me of like such special moments that we would share, like doing cookie booths outside of like random grocery stores. But being a part of community service is something that’s really important to me. I love giving back to the community and just like, Being surrounded by other people along with that, I think continue to dance, continue my passions that exist right now.
[00:22:14] Hopefully I still stay into touch with all of those things. And yeah, that’s, that’s what I hope to see in my future.
[00:22:20] Sheryl: Is there anything else you’d like to share with the audience?
[00:22:23] Mehaa: The Girl Scout Gold Award process is a very long and dense process and it is very fulfilling and a lot. Is very fun to do and be a part of.
[00:22:37] But there are times where things were gonna get hard. . I did all of my project during Covid, which was like pretty isolating at times, but since I always imagined my like Girls Scout Gold Award to be super hands-on surrounded by people, it is really important to have a good team of people by your side while working on your gold award to be able to help you and understand or go through things with you cuz it, it is gonna be difficult and hard at times and never be afraid to ask for help no matter who it may be because.
[00:23:07] Nine times out of 10 people are willing to help you. So yeah, that is like the one piece of advice I could give to the girl, girl Scouts who are working on their gold award or their silver award, is to never be afraid to ask for help, because a lot of people are very eager to help people so.
[00:23:22] Sheryl: How do you make your s’mores?
[00:23:23] Mehaa: I bake my s’mores, so I get the 365 crackers from Whole Foods. And normally I like the orange chocolate. and I use vegan marshmallows cuz I’m a vegetarian. But I put that all together and I put it in an oven and that’s how I eat my smores. It’s probably not the best way in terms of like how traditional it is, but this is my favorite way and my take on smores.
[00:23:52] Sheryl: That sounds delicious. I might have to go try that.
[00:23:55] Mehaa: You definitely should.
[00:23:56] Sheryl: Well, thanks for joining us today.
[00:23:57] Mehaa: Well, thank you so much for your time and for having this discussion with me.
[00:24:02] Sheryl: Make sure to click, follow or subscribe so you always know when new episodes are released. Empower your passion and conquer your challenges.
[00:24:13] Walter: The Hearts of Gold Podcast is brought to you by the Grow and Share Network produced by Off the Walter Media Productions.
[00:24:19] Thank you for listening and spreading the word on what we do. If you want to share your story of how you earned your goal award, reach out and send an email to growandshare@outlook.com. Be sure to listen to the newest episodes on your favorite podcast app, as well as view the full video episodes on youtube.com/SherylMRobinson.
[00:24:40] That’s youtube.com/sheryl, the letter m, Robinson. Take care and we’ll see you next time.