“To write is human, to receive a letter: Divine!” said American children’s book writer, Susan Lendroth. Virtual School Victoria (VSV) student, Sabrina, took this message to heart.
For the past four months, the Year 9 student – who lives in Malaysia – has written almost 150 letters to 12 children at a local orphanage.
‘I started writing individual letters to the children to give back to the community during lockdowns. I’m doing it as part of my Duke of Edinburgh Award which requires me to do some community work,’ explained Sabrina.
Personalising each letter is very important to Sabrina, who delivers her letters to the children two or three times a month.
‘I like to ask the children some questions to help create a connection with them. I might ask them what kind of food they like to eat and what games they play. I hope that I can help the children feel like they have a friend who wants to get to know them.’
One of the most valuable lessons that Sabrina has learnt from this experience is the importance of giving back to the local community.
‘It’s heartwarming to talk to the children and I also love receiving their letters. I have different experiences to them so I feel that I can learn from their experiences just as they can learn from mine. I am now much more confident to make new connections with people,’ she enthused.
