F
or some young Malaysians, leaving school does not necessarily mean the end of learning.
Through community-driven initiatives and non-formal education programmes, many youths who once dropped out of school are discovering new opportunities to rebuild their lives, develop practical skills and regain confidence in their future.
Organisations such as ADAB Youth Garage (AYG) are playing an important role in this effort, providing a safe space for young people from low-income communities, particularly those living in People’s Housing Project (PPR) flats, to learn, grow and explore their potential.
For Muhammad Ammar Hasimi, 25, and Mohamad Daniel Haikal Faizul Hazreen, 23, the centre became a turning point that helped them transform personal struggles into new possibilities.
AMMAR PROVES SECOND CHANCES CAN CHANGE LIVES
After a quarrel with his mother, Muhammad Ammar ran away from home at the age of 16, believing it was the best way out of his problems.
Having studied only up to Form Four, the sixth of seven siblings found himself struggling to navigate life after leaving his family. Without an SPM certificate, job opportunities were limited.
Muhammad Ammar Hasimi, 25, manages a barber shop when met by Bernama recently.
“I ran away because my mother scolded me for racing motorcycles with friends. I was rebellious at the time and acted without thinking,” he said.
He later found work at a shoe shop in Kelana Jaya, Selangor.
Growing up in PPR Kota Damansara in Petaling Jaya, Ammar admitted he often rebelled and craved for freedom during his teenage years.
“After leaving my family, life became difficult. That was when regret began to set in, but I was too ashamed to return home,” he said, recalling how lonely it felt spending Ramadan alone while others his age broke fast with their families.
However, Ammar considers himself fortunate as he managed to avoid negative influences.
“Several months after leaving home, I met a family who gave me a job at their shoe shop and allowed me to stay with them. They treated me like their own,” he said.
BUILDING SKILLS AS A BARBER
After nearly a year working and living with the family, Ammar returned to the AYG centre in PPR Kota Damansara.
“I first joined AYG when I was 15 because my mother encouraged me to join since I wasn’t interested in studying. But I left after a short while and later ran away from home.
“While living on my own, I began thinking about my future and eventually returned to AYG,” he said.
Recognising his talent for hair cutting, the centre sent him for a short course before entrusting him to manage the AYG Barbershop.
He has been managing the barbershop in Section 1, Bandar Baru Bangi since 2018.
“The AYG centre is not just a place to learn technical skills but also a safe space for us. Here I learned discipline, responsibility and the meaning of second chances.
“It feels like a second home that helped shape who I am today,” he said.
THE MATURING JOURNEY OF A FIRSTBORN
For Mohamad Daniel Haikal, life’s challenges forced him to mature early.
As the eldest of four siblings growing up in PPR Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya, financial hardship meant he often had to sacrifice his own schooling to help his mother care for his younger siblings.
Mohamad Daniel is the eldest of four siblings and grew up in PPR Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya. Life's challenges forced him to mature early.
His father worked as a lorry driver before later running a small food business with a partner.
Two years ago, Daniel assumed the role of head of the household after his father passed away due to kidney complications.
A turning point in his life came when he was 16 and was introduced to AYG.
“My first encounter with the centre happened by chance while I was playing futsal in my neighbourhood. A youth worker approached me and invited me to act in a short production organised by AYG.
“That was how I became familiar with the centre and started joining its programmes,” he said.
According to Daniel, the programmes helped nurture leadership skills among youths.
BUILDING COMMUNITIES THROUGH YOUTH PROGRAMMES
Since then, Daniel has been actively involved in various AYG initiatives aimed at engaging young people in his neighbourhood through positive community activities.
He said the experience helped him better understand community needs while learning how to organise programmes that benefit youths.
ADAB Youth Garage (AYG) is among those offering youth development programs through non-formal learning and moral support to young people who have dropped out, especially from People's Housing Project (PPR) areas and settlements dominated by the B40.
Although the group initially involved only two PPR housing blocks, the programmes received support from residents and the Kawasan Rukun Tetangga (KRT), a community-based neighbourhood watch group.
“That support shows youth development initiatives can create a positive impact within the community,” he said.
Through his involvement, Daniel realised youth development is not just about activities but also about building social connections and strengthening community support networks.
SELF-LEARNING OPENS NEW PATHS
After completing SPM, Daniel pursued a diploma in computer science but had to discontinue his studies due to financial constraints.
He later took on various jobs to support himself and his family.
His self-taught skills in graphic design eventually opened another opportunity when AYG offered him a position as a youth worker and graphic designer two years ago.
(Youth workers refer to individuals who engage with young people through constructive interventions in informal settings to help them explore their potential.)
“Graphic design was not my original interest, but I taught myself through the internet to improve my skills. The management here has been very supportive, and this job has opened new opportunities for me,” he said.
“If I had not joined AYG, I might have ended up working in a factory and my skills would not have developed.”
ADAB YOUTH GARAGE BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND SKILLS
Meanwhile, ADAB Youth Garage chief executive officer Muhammad Nizam Samsudin said the journeys of Ammar and Daniel show how young people can rebuild their lives despite difficult circumstances.
Their stories demonstrate that even without higher education, youths can still transform their lives and contribute positively to society.
The first effort implemented at the AYG centre in Kota Damansara in 2022 was to teach children in the area's PPR to read. All image credits to the AYG Facebook page.
Founded in 2013 with support from community donations, AYG now operates 16 centres across Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Pulau Pinang, Johor, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan, supported by 33 youth workers from diverse educational backgrounds.
According to Muhammad Nizam, the centres provide non-formal education in a safe and inclusive environment where young people can gather, share their experiences and explore their potential with the guidance of trained youth workers.
“Non-formal learning can take many forms, including videos, study groups, forums and performance support, as well as activities such as congregational prayers and Iqra’ guidance,” he said.
He added that studies have shown Malaysia is facing literacy challenges, particularly in reading, following the COVID-19 pandemic.
As such, one of the first initiatives implemented at the AYG centre in Kota Damansara in 2022 was teaching children in the surrounding PPR communities how to read.
The transformation experienced by Ammar and Daniel demonstrates how community-based interventions can serve as effective support mechanisms for at-risk youths, particularly those facing educational dropout and socioeconomic challenges.
As Malaysia works to strengthen its human capital, inclusive and flexible non-formal education approaches should continue to complement the mainstream education system so that the potential of young people is not limited by their background or circumstances.
