AIESEC Charity Concert: Lighting a Refugee’s Dream | By Khairyn Almira
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| Illustration by @amjarchives_ |
The audience jittered with anticipation, the air abuzz with excitement. The stage stood brightly lit, adorned with strings of lanterns and red angpao packets hung upon the walls; a striking collision of red and gold. As the curtains drew back, into the spotlight walked two bright-eyed emcees, Forest and Callista, as they stepped out to officially open the night’s proceedings.
Coinciding with both Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day, the charity concert, themed “A Night of Reunion,” carried a meaning far deeper than celebration. Beneath the performances, the lights, and the applause, lay a single, urgent purpose: to support education for refugee children in Malaysia; children whose entire lives have been shaped not by choice, but by displacement.
The Cause: Light a Refugee’s Dream (LARD)
At the heart of the evening was not just the music nor the performances, but the reality of children who wake up each day without the certainty of a classroom to return to, without the privilege of textbooks to open, and without a future clearly written ahead of them.
The project, “Light a Refugee’s Dream (LARD)”, seeks to change that. Aisyah, the Partnership Manager of LARD, took to the stage to bring this reality into focus. In Malaysia, thousands of refugee children live in a precarious state of limbo. Without citizenship, they are denied access to formal education, healthcare, and basic rights.
The funds raised that night, she explained, would be channeled into the Agape Learning Centre, a specialised educational hub in Kuala Lumpur. Tucked into a cramped second-floor shoplot, the centre operates in conditions far from ideal: sweltering heat, limited space, and classrooms without walls. Yet within those constraints, something remarkable persists: the spark of hope.
To put a face to the statistics, Ahla shared the story of Lily. At just eight years old, Lily was woken in the middle of the night. Along with her younger siblings, she was rushed into a car, forced to leave everything behind. Their journey to Malaysia was long and perilous: trekking through dense jungle, crossing rivers on small wooden rafts, and moving in silence under the cover of darkness.
Though, surviving those feats never promised a life of ease. At fourteen, when her mother fell ill, Lily dropped out of school to support her family, taking on a part-time job at a noodle shop. She was a small, incredibly thin teenager; standing on her feet for 10 to 12 hours a day until her ankles were covered in sores. Thankfully, teachers at her learning centre eventually took her in, and she secured a US citizenship; a rare bright spot in a community where fear of authorities and restricted movement defined daily life.
A Symphony of Talent
As the weight of the cause settled into the room, the performances began; each act transforming the stage into something alive with energy. Taylor’s Lion Dance Club burst forth with crashing cymbals and thunderous drums; red dragons weaving in and out of the crowd, their movements playful yet commanding. They dipped and turned, passing out angpao and leaning in to be petted by delighted audience members who shouted joyously, “Huat ah!”
Then, seamlessly, the energy softened. The Pointe & Music Dance Academy took to the stage. Fifteen-year-old Irynn Tee Ee Hann moved with graceful precision, her ballet solo unfolding like a whispered story: each extension controlled, each turn weightless, as though she hovered just above the stage. The entire room seemed to hold its breath.
This gentleness gave way to “Touch the Sky,” where dancers in flowing green dresses filled the stage. Fabric caught the light as they spun, creating soft waves of motion that mirrored wind through leaves. Their choreography was fluid, expansive. It was a contrast to the earlier stillness, yet equally captivating.
As the evening progressed, the tone deepened. The Sri Wilayah Ballet Centre and Kenny Shim Dance Collective introduced a more introspective energy. Pink and green hues washed over the stage, casting long shadows as dancers moved with striking intensity. The mournful strains of a traditional Chinese violin lingered in the background, its raw, aching notes threading emotion through every movement.
This emotional crescendo carried into a lyrical dance solo that blurred the line between art and athleticism. Cartwheels and sweeping floorwork punctuated the choreography, each movement charged with urgency, as though the dancer was trying to grasp something just out of reach.
Other performers brought equally captivating acts. Soloist Hong Ming brought a mesmerising shift in form, manipulating a diabolo with dragon-like streamers that sliced through the air in bright, fluid arcs. Performing in lieu with the song, “In the Name of Love”, the spinning prop became an extension of the body itself: rising, falling, looping with precision that drew applause from the audience.
Moments later, Taylor’s K-Generation reignited the hall with electrifying energy. Clad in striking red outfits, they burst onto the stage with sharp, synchronised choreography. Every beat hit cleanly, every movement deliberate, pulling the crowd back into a collective pulse of excitement.
Behind the scenes, however, was a different kind of performance. Aisya, a Malaysian Youth Volunteer, spent the night tucked into a cramped backstage corner, ensuring every cue was met and every transition seamless. From the wings, she witnessed the profound impact of the Selangor Kuala Lumpur Orchestra and Choir (SKOC), an inclusive ensemble of musicians ranging from six to over seventy years old. Their medley of Chinese New Year songs filled the hall with warmth.
For Aisya, the exhaustion, the late nights, the pressure; all of it was worth it. Knowing that her efforts contributed to improving the learning environments of refugee children made every moment meaningful. Inspired by the experience, she now hopes to step into a larger role in future initiatives, continuing her journey in advocacy.
Orchestrating an Impact
Events of this scale do not come together overnight. According to Ahla, planning for the concert began months in advance, stretching back to October. The coordination of performers, logistics, and outreach required both precision and persistence. Yet beyond the execution, what stood out most was the intention behind it all.
Light a Refugee’s Dream (LARD) operates twice a year, focusing on providing foundational education in English, Mathematics, and Science to underserved learning centres. The impact is tangible: previous fundraising efforts have contributed to installing air conditioning units in classrooms. A small change, perhaps, but one that transforms the daily learning experience for students in otherwise unbearable conditions.
What made the night even more remarkable was that many performers volunteered their time entirely for free. It was a collective act of belief: in art, in community, and in the idea that creativity can drive real, measurable change.
Echoes of a Reunion
As the evening drew to a close, the Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall choir led the audience in a warm, collective singalong. Voices blended together, filling the space with a sense of unity that lingered even after the final note faded. The emcees returned for one last moment: a group photo, a final thank you, and a final acknowledgement to all attendees for everything that had been achieved that night.
While the concert marked a significant success for Light a Refugee’s Dream (LARD), it also reflected something larger. AIESEC in Taylor’s University continues to engage with global issues, from environmental conservation through the project ECHO to health awareness initiatives like the project Here For You. Yet this night in particular stood as a reminder of what is possible when art and purpose intertwine.
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