Fondacio Asia

26/08/2026

𝗕𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽: 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲

The Bukal ng Tipan team recently facilitated a three-day Bible Camp for IFFAsia Batch 17, offering participants a creative and interactive journey into Scripture. The camp invited them to see the Bible not simply as a book of the past, but as the Book of Life, with a story that continues to speak to and shape their lives today.

Through activities such as the Parade of Cultures, Exodus Walk, and sessions on the History of Salvation, participants explored the biblical story while connecting it with their own experiences and journeys. They also composed personal Psalms of Prayer and learned the 7 Steps of Gospel Sharing, gaining practical ways to study Scripture, share faith, and respond to real-world issues.

More than an introduction to the Old and New Testaments, the camp sought to make Scripture meaningful, accessible, and relevant to young people. Participants were encouraged not only to read the Bible, but to live its message and become living Gospels, bringing truth, kindness, and simplicity into a changing world.

21/08/2026

𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗬𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗠𝗶𝗱-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁

Around 30 young people from Young Lives Yangon gathered in Bago for a two-day mid-term retreat centered on prayer, reflection, and discernment. Through moments of silence, Eucharistic celebration, sharing, and a tree-planting activity as part of the Season of Creation, participants were invited to reflect on who they are, what they are called to, and how they can respond to God's mission through their lives.

The retreat offered a meaningful space to deepen their relationship with God, strengthen friendships, and renew their commitment to mission and care for our common home.

Around 30 young people gathered on August 17 and 18 for the mid-term retreat of Young Lives Yangon (YL-YGN), held at Pan Pyoe Latt Monastic Education Center in Kyaut Tan […]

21/08/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁

Most of us will never know what it means to leave home because it is no longer safe. We may never meet a refugee in person, yet we encounter stories of displacement through the Bible, the media, and the world around us. Their experiences may feel distant from our own, but they still ask us to consider how we respond when another person's reality is different from ours.

𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝘽𝙚𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙪𝙢𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚

When refugees are mostly presented through stories of hardship, it can be easy to see them only through what they need. But displacement is only one part of a person's story. Every person has dignity, history, abilities, relationships, and hopes. For Christians, this dignity comes from being created in the image of God, regardless of nationality or status. Pope Francis' warning about the “globalisation of indifference” reminds us not to become so accustomed to the suffering of others that we stop seeing the person behind the story.

𝙎𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙢

Solidarity can begin with learning, listening, changing how we speak about people, praying for those we may never meet, or supporting those already accompanying people in need. This reflects Fondacio's commitment to building a more humane world through initiatives of development and solidarity, creating opportunities for people who are marginalised or in need to become actors of their own destiny.

None of us has to do everything. But we can help create spaces where people can participate, contribute, and belong. We may never meet many of the people whose stories reach us, but they remain part of the same human family. Sometimes, solidarity begins simply by choosing not to look away.

19/08/2026

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗗𝗮𝘆: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀

On August 1, Young Lives Malaysia held a one-day English Bootcamp for refugee teenagers, and what unfolded was far more than a language class. From self-discovery and life values to communication and personal safety, the teens tackled it all with enthusiasm and openness that made the day truly memorable.

The sessions were filled with interactive games, engaging activities, and meaningful opportunities for the teens to share, learn, and work together. What stood out was not just their willingness to participate, but the way they opened up through group sharing and embraced the chance to explore important life values alongside one another.

It was more than just a day together. It was a day to learn, reflect, discover, and grow. A big shoutout to everyone who helped create a meaningful space for these refugee teenagers and the journey ahead.

18/08/2026

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱: 𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝟭𝟳 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

Protecting children begins with those who are willing to learn. The participants of IFFAsia Batch 17 recently completed an intensive one-day session on Child Safeguarding, facilitated by She Works. The session equipped participants with the knowledge and tools needed to create safer environments for the young.

Through interactive activities including the Sunshine Wheel and role-playing scenarios, IFFAsia Batch 17 participants engaged with the core elements of child protection, the reality of child abuse, and the critical importance of preventive education. The approach was hands-on and honest, bringing difficult realities into the open in a way that built both awareness and confidence.

One of the most significant parts of the session was learning how to handle sensitive disclosures. Participants were guided through what to do and what not to do when a child shares their trauma, equipping them to respond not just with the right actions but with compassion and care.

14/08/2026

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗲: 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴

When we encounter the realities faced by others, we are called to respond. People become refugees because they are forced to leave home because of conflict, persecution, or violence. But reaching safety is not the end of the story. For many who arrive in Malaysia, the struggles do not end.

Malaysia is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. This means refugees do not have recognised legal status here, and can face arrest, detention, and deportation. Without legal status, ordinary parts of life like work, education, healthcare, and planning for the future become real challenges. But life still has to go on.

𝘼 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙩

It was in response to this reality that Fondacio Malaysia started Young Lives Malaysia in 2017. The program began with English classes and formation for young refugees. Like the other Young Lives projects, the desire was simple: to create a space where young people could learn, grow, and discover their potential.

But the more time the team spent with refugee communities, the more they saw. They saw the realities of life without safety, security, or the basic things people need to live with dignity. Work. Education. Healthcare. Belonging. Family. A future. And alongside the hardship, they also saw resilience, talent, and the desire to contribute.

𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙎𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜

The more they saw, the more they felt called to respond. What began with English classes grew into a wider response to the harsher realities faced by refugees, built around orientation to support new arrivals, empowerment through formation, education and training, support that responds to needs with care and compassion, and advocacy that builds understanding and challenges exclusion.

Since 2017, more than 1,000 people have been part of Young Lives Malaysia through its programmes, personal support, and the relationships built together. The work has grown beyond skills, creating spaces for growth, connection, and support as the team continues to learn from those they walk with.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨

Yet the situation is getting harder. In recent months, more xenophobia, hate speech, and calls for violence against refugees have appeared across social media and in the news. People are facing harassment, threats, and even eviction. For many refugees, the space to live safely is becoming even smaller. But life does not stop.

Friends, volunteers, NGOs, civil society groups, and the Church in Malaysia continue to stand with refugee communities. Their time, skills, resources, and solidarity help make this work possible. But the need remains. There is still much to do, and there is always room for more people to be part of it. If not me, then who?

13/08/2026

12/08/2026

12/08/2026

𝟭𝟲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝟯

Sixteen participants have successfully completed Module 3: Strategic Advocacy and Community Stories, Impactful Advocacy within Boundaries, a training organized by Young Lives Malaysia. The program equipped participants with practical skills to develop strategic advocacy campaigns, engage key stakeholders, and amplify community voices through evidence-based and dignified storytelling.

As part of the training, participants were introduced to a stakeholder mapping exercise using a Power and Impact Map tool. Following the identification of their advocacy goal and outcome, participants were guided to map stakeholders based on the power and influence each holds over a given issue, sorting them into categories such as those to convert, manage closely, monitor, or keep informed as allies. The exercise was designed to help participants identify the right target audiences and allies before proceeding with their advocacy plans.

𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘿𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮

A central focus of the training was on advocating effectively while protecting the safety, privacy, and dignity of the communities being served. Participants explored how to build stronger advocacy efforts grounded in compassion, responsibility, and the "Do No Harm" principle, ensuring that storytelling and campaign strategies do not compromise the wellbeing of the communities they represent.

𝘼 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣

The training reflects Young Lives Malaysia's broader work in building capacity among refugee communities in Malaysia. Through its various programs, the organization offers foundational English courses and specialized training in areas such as media literacy, team entrepreneurship, community development, and refugee teacher training, aimed at facilitating multiple entry points for refugees regardless of life stage or education level.

Beyond this training, the organization continues to expand its range of programs and initiatives for refugee communities, reflecting a belief that lasting impact is achieved not in isolation, but through ongoing collaboration with partner organizations and community-based groups.