The most precious forms of growth in Sabah

At Outward Bound Sabah, I witnessed some of the most precious forms of growth.

A child was terrified of heights, gritted their teeth and climbed to the summit of a cliff. Another slid down the zipline with eyes tightly shut—only to burst into laughter and leap into their teammates’ arms. Every trembling grip on the rock wall marked a personal breakthrough.

I watched as youthful faces grew suddenly serious while checking each other’s harnesses. They began to communicate trust not just with words, but with steady hands and confident glances. They learned what it meant to bear one another’s weight—physically and emotionally.

And as the sun set, gilding their silhouettes in golden light, I felt something shift within me.

I understood, perhaps more deeply than ever, the true essence of education: not merely the transmission of knowledge, but the ignition of courage—the spark that drives them to break barriers and grow together.