The energy at the AVPN annual conference in Kuala Lumpur is infectious and full of hope.

Which is odd because we are all working in the social impact space. And this means that we face adversity and the ugly side of our society daily.

I looked around the room – the conference attendees come from all over the world, with different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. We are a truly diverse crowd, with impact as the common denominator.

How did we all manage to stay inspired through our impact journey? My observations are listed below:

1. Inspired by beneficiaries

Dato’ Kathleen shared: “Power of the one is what drives me on,” as she illustrated the story of a young refugee girl who escaped Myanmar to Malaysia.

Many of us find so much strength in our beneficiaries, who continue to preserve and fight for their futures. And if they can find the power, why can’t we?

2. Inspired by our parents or children

In my breakout room, we were asked to draw, with our eyes closed, the person who inspires us.

A few of my group members drew their daughters, while others drew their mothers or fathers.

Children inspire their parents to be creative and see the positive in simple things. And the generation before us has inspired many of us to dream big, persevere through the sacrifices they made for us, and make us who we are today.

3. Inspired by other extraordinary changemakers

One of the people I draw inspiration from is my “work wife,” Talitha, who thrived despite the adversities she had to go through (having worked as a child laborer, etc.). 

I wouldn’t be here today without the many people who helped me along the way – including the inspiring ladies behind AVPN: Veronica and Naina, who believed in me at the start of my journey.

I walked away from the conference with my heart whole – with the reminder that I can draw inspiration when things seem daunting.

Janine Teo, Chief Executive Officer, Solve Education!