Shariff was only 10 when he was first mesmerised by the piano. A schoolmate was performing at a school event. Something clicked for the 10-year-old that day – he had stumbled upon what was to become a passion. He found a very basic, beat-up keyboard at home, and began teaching himself to play. His instructors were YouTube videos.
This year, Shariff was one of several children who attended a day camp organized by Genie in a Bottle, a volunteer group that picked Beyond as their charity of choice for YMCA’s Youth For Causes (YFC) programme. This initiative encourages youth to raise funds and awareness for social service agencies while organizing meaningful activities.
At the camp, Shariff spoke with the volunteers about his dreams and aspirations, sharing his love for the piano and his hope to one day perform in front of his school. “I feel nervous just thinking about it,” he admitted, “but I tell myself it doesn’t matter, and I just need to persevere.”
Inspired by his story, Genie in a Bottle, arranged for Shariff to perform at YFC’s awards celebration – his maiden voyage as a performer, performing before a large audience. For this unassuming neighbourhood kid, it would be a moment of for courage…and growth!
On his big day, Shariff was understandably a bundle of nerves. His face lit up when he spotted my familiar in the crowd. He visibly relaxed, smiling sheepishly at me. As he awaited his moment in the spotlight, Shariff fidgeted nervously, confessing that he felt nauseous. He made several trips to the restroom. A volunteer backstage reassured him with words of encouragement.
“You’ve got this. You’ve practiced. You’re ready.”
When it was time to perform, Shariff looked past eyes moist with tears, stepped up to the piano and played. Beautifully. As he finished with a flourish, he was rewarded with a wave of enthusiastic applause. He did it!
But what was most surprising was Shariff’s response to having achieved his goal. While he was pleased with his performance, he expressed some regret that he may not see his new friends – the project volunteers – again. I assured him he could always reach out to them, now that they were connected.
Shariff’s story began with a chance encounter – a piano played in school. This chapter of his life was written by that first inspiration, a volunteer’s encouragement, the opportunity to perform and his own self-motivation to succeed. These moments remind us that it doesn’t take much to make a difference in the life of others.
If you’d like to create meaningful experiences for children like Shariff—whether as a donor, befriender, mentor, or by providing opportunities for them to grow and thrive – reach out to us today at volunteer@beyond.org.sg. Together, we can nurture potential and spark dreams.
“Great acts are made up of small deeds.” – Laozi