A DESIRE to change the lives of others has seen Marcus Wong named the 2019 Western Australian Youth Volunteer of the Year.
The Willetton resident’s love of volunteering and passion to go above and beyond to help others was highlighted at the awards.
Mr Wong has a rich history of volunteer work with various organisation, including Mt Pleasant Baptist Church, Curtin University and Rafiki Africa Ministries.
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READ NOWIt is with the latter organisation he put his passion for film-making and photography to use, spending time in Uganda and Ethiopia in 2017 and 2019 as a missionary and made a documentary about his time there.
Mr Wong said his love for volunteering had been shaped by his parents and had made him a more respectful person.
“Often when you meet people who come from backgrounds where they’re not as fortunate, it’s a logical response to help how you can,” he said.
The 20-year-old said his trips to Africa made him realise just how fortunate he was and further encouraged him to give back wherever possible.
“It really breaks the bubble of our understanding of the world and helped me realise the lives we live puts us in a minority,” he said.
“Our wealth and opportunities are a minority of the world has, we live in a state of an echo chamber.
“When you go out of your way you realise not everyone lives like this.”