AYA Awards 2009 - Youth Finalist 02 - Ellynita Hazlina Lamin, 33

Ellynita is a social entrepreneur of Azhaire Sdn Bhd, a business entity that is currently running an entrepreneurship-driven pilot programme that allows 4 people from Aceh to pursue paper-making skills in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. This social enterprise was birthed from Ellynitas trip to Banda Aceh after the tsunami crisis in 2004-2005. She had the heart to serve the people of Aceh and underwent difficulties such as being held at gun-point by authorities who questioned her motives there as she was not an Indonesian. That incident caused her to reflect on her life and the bigger picture at hand.

Coming from a family with an abusive father, this tough young lady understands the hardship of a single-parent family and strived hard to be where she is right now. Despite being diagnosed with nasal cancer in 2008, Ellynita never stopped wanting to help others as the spirit of volunteerism was inculcated in her since she was 11 by her mother. Her level of empathy was heightened when she was part of the volunteer team who were escavating corpses in order for them to sterilize the land. She saw the corpse of a pregnant woman and her young child, and that made her more determined to not see another person hurt.

Her dream Malaysia is for people to not just be tolerant towards one another but to understand and accept each other beyond race and gender. She aspires to see the lives that she touches in some way — no matter big or small — begin to impact the lives of others. Ultimately, she seeks to create an awareness of the need in Acheh and be able to share that with anyone who is interested to listen or contribute in some way.

Ellynita Hazlina Lamin, 33
Senior Manager, Cradle Fund Sdn. Bhd. & CEO, Azhaire Sdn. Bhd.
To vote, send AYA Y 2 to 36828

http://www.ayaawards.com

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• AYA Awards
• Malaysia
• Outstanding
• Durian
• Awards
• 2009

[aamirahaali]

How admirable. Great work Alvin.