At Chumbaka Sibu, a group of students have decided to band together as they embark on an inspiring journey of learning and self-discovery with the help of technology. While different, what these boys have in common is a love for learning and an eagerness to share this love with others.
Jonathan, aged 15, had heard about Chumbaka from some of his friends at school. Like any other teenager, he enjoys playing video games and watching movies during his school holidays. His mother, however, felt differently about the value of those activities. At her request for him to ‘learn something new’, he quickly enrolled in classes held by the Chumbaka centre in Sibu, Sarawak. It was here where he met mentors, Chuan and Caleb (fondly referred to as The GOAT) and like all great minds they played a hand at matching Jonathan up with his current group mates: Gabriel, Luke, Marcus and Terence. As a Chumbaka student, Jonathan developed a skill he didn’t expect to learn – video editing. He found that he enjoys this new skill as it also allows him to document the innovation journey of his team.
Gabriel and Luke, aged 15 and 14 respectively, joined Chumbaka at their father’s insistence that the brothers could learn something valuable. While on his learning journey, Luke notes that previously, when tackling problems he would charge ahead without a thought to the potential consequences arising from his brash problem-solving. Now, at the coaching of his mentors, he solves problems in a more methodical and meticulous manner by effectively considering all outcomes.
Gabriel, on the other hand, found that when he first joined Chumbaka, would immediately go to his mentors to help him solve any issues he came across. Thanks to Chumbaka’s 3 B’s (Brain, Buddy, Boss), he was pushed to look for the answers himself (Brain). Failing to do so, he was encouraged to look to his peers (Buddy) and learn from them. Lastly, if all else fails, he would then turn to his mentors for help (Boss). He shared how this influenced him to become more resourceful and confident in his researching skills.
Next, we have Marcus, aged 15, whom all the boys refer to as their ‘leader’. Marcus shared modestly that being called a ‘leader’ was actually new for him as he wouldn’t usually go for leadership roles at school. Nonetheless, after a brief conversation with him it was obvious he was a skilled communicator that was adept at harmonising different ideas as well as motivating his teammates towards the common goal of having a great project. Marcus shared that he first joined Chumbaka at 11 years old, due to his cousin’s reassurance that the skills gained could benefit him in the future job market. Since then, Marcus readily takes up leadership roles and can now add the title of ‘mentor’ under his belt ever since he and his group mates participated in mentoring sessions in places like Pustaka Sibu for students his age and below.
The person who needed no encouragement to join Chumbaka was Terence, aged 16, as he was the one asking his parents to let him enrol. As he passionately shares about his love for game design, Terence remarks that before he was more interested in being a regular gamer but now he couldn’t help but be more interested in the processes behind it. Terence shared that it was a common occurrence for students in his classes to bounce ideas off each other and receive constructive feedback due to the comfortable environment created by the Chumbaka Sibu mentors.
Lastly, despite the successes of the group, their journey isn’t one without obstacles. Like many students before them, the boys have faced their fair share of self-doubt and frustration, but with the help of Chumbaka and its mentors – the boys are able to celebrate their small victories, support one another through struggles, and continue to grow, united by the belief that learning is a lifelong process.
To learn more about the students’ from Chumbaka Sibu, check out this video here!