KUALA LUMPUR – When she was a child, Thanamletchumy Nadeson had been abandoned by her parents and then taken by relatives who abused her.
She was somehow rescued and brought to a welfare home. It was there that she heard about the Vocational Training Opportunity Centre (VTOC).
Joining it in 1998 proved to be a momentous move. She even emerged as the top student in the sewing and tailoring course that she took up there.
“It provided an opportunity of a lifetime,” Thanam, now 47, recalled recently. “My life changed completely. Today I can afford to buy my own car, have my independence, and am able to lead a life on my own.”
Thanam is one of the many success stories of the VTOC, an outreach programme under YWCA in Kuala Lumpur, which has trained more than 2,000 young school leavers in various fields of vocational training.
The courses at the centre are offered free for girls and women from underprivileged backgrounds. Even accommodation is provided for the duration of the training for those in need, and this has greatly benefited trainees who originate from faraway places, including those from Sabah and Sarawak.
The centre, which has transformed countless lives, is the brainchild of women’s rights activist Datuk Dr Rasammah Bhupalan, who was inspired after visiting a women’s training centre at the city of Denver in the United States in 1963.
Datuk Ramani Gurusamy, who has served as a co-chairwoman of VTOC since 2002, said that Rasammah was suitably impressed with the vocational skills taught to young girls in the centre as they were able to significantly improve their livelihood.
“Upon her return to Malaysia, Rasammah formed a committee to consider the feasibility of setting up such a centre, and it was only in 1991 that the project planning for the VTOC was revived.
“A meeting was held with Datuk Peh Teck Quee, a developer, who was at that time completing a building behind YWCA. When the purpose of the VTOC was explained, he readily agreed to help and thus began the uphill task of raising RM5 million for the VTOC project,” said Ramani.
Ramani still remembers Peh’s inspiring words to the fundraising committee: “You continue to raise the funds and I will commence the work for the VTOC building.”
In the end, the committee raised RM 2 million and continued to collect as much as they could to repay a loan for the project.
In 1998, VTOC commenced its courses in the new premise at Jalan Hang Jebat, next to YWCA.
“The kindergarten teacher’s training course was the first course, and I was in charge. Today it is known as the Diploma in Early Childhood Education and has proven to be one of the most popular courses,” she said.
The other courses at the onset were on early childhood education, computer secretarial, and basic accounting. The culinary and baking course was introduced in 2003, the healthcare course in 2007, and the hairdressing and beauty care in 2009.
Ramani, who will retire this year, wants the legacy of training and the transformation of the girls into professionals to continue when the baton is passed.
“It was vital for us to seek professionals in the fields,” she said in commenting on the standard of teaching there.
“The professionalism and leadership inculcated are evident in the young girls when they graduate and join the workforce as well-trained and competent professionals,” she added.
Over the years, VTOC has also been fortunate to partner with many institutions such as Olympia College for the computer secretarial course, Dika College for early childhood education, the Legend International College of Hospitality & Tourism for the culinary course, and L'Oréal for the hairdressing course.
All the courses are recognised by the Education Ministry, she added.
Ramani said the “One Malaysia” concept has been the cornerstone of the VTOC programmes. Young women from different ethnic backgrounds have lived and trained together under one roof, while successfully completing their courses.
Bright employment prospects
Among the graduates are the Tijim sisters – Wati, Witi, and Norhayati – who hail from a family of farmers in the district of Pitas in Sabah.
Wati, the eldest, shared with The Vibes that they were all not performing well in their studies and wanted to pursue vocational courses that they felt would allow them to earn an income. However, their father did not agree to this.
“Finally, Norhayati (the youngest) made it to VTOC, and it was her success that persuaded my father to allow Witi and I to pursue the Early Childhood Education course,” Wati said.
“Today, all three of us are working in childcare centres in different parts of KL and pursuing further studies in English so that we can communicate better with the children under our care,” she added.
Another successful graduate, Sylvia Francis, 21, works as an assistant lecturer of the Certificate in Beauty Care and Hairdressing programme at VTOC. She was herself recognised as the best student graduate in the course in 2018.
“For me, the course changed my life and taught me many skills in hairdressing, which I now teach the students under me. They learn the basics of hairdressing such as hair-washing and basic massage, and then on to treatment, perming, rebonding and hair-colouring technique,” said Sylvia.
The whole programme takes a year to complete and according to Sylvia, the graduates have no problem in securing jobs.
In 2018, then deputy minister of women, family and community development Hannah Yeoh had attended the 20th graduation ceremony of VTOC, where she lauded the selfless initiative that germinated decades ago.
“It is very commendable that YWCA KL had taken the initiative to set up the VTOC twenty years ago to provide entrepreneurial skills to the young women and girls from the disadvantaged sectors of our country,” she said. – The Vibes, October 20, 2021
