The Value of 1 Cent

I started collecting 1 cents since a very young age. At that time, I didn't really appreciate why I did so. I began after hearing a story about how a guy in some country far far away became a millionaire from collecting 1 cents. It seems quite an inspiration to me back then...but eventually, as I got older, I collect 1 cents out of habit instead of out of desperation to be a millionaire ;)

For more than 8 years in my 22 years of life, I just collected 1 cents which I got from the change I received at the cashier counter, from my friends...or from places where I found them lying on the floor...unwanted.

But after so many years, I began to see no point of collecting 1 cents. After so many years of collection, I calculated the other day, that I only managed to save RM20.00 (more or less) of 1 cents. I began to lose the zeal to collect 1 cents....until....

A friend who visited Myanmar a few months ago told me many interesting stories about the country and the people there. The things that intrigues me the most is their poverty. They work 30days a month only to earn from 38 cents to RM 3.80 (not the rich ones). It was a clear situation of 'the rich is getting richer but the poor is getting poorer'. However, despite their poverty, these people are so happy and lived a purposeful life!

It made me realise how much a piece of bronze metal weighing less than 5g can mean so much...and so many of us are casting them away, leaving them lying on the street when it could be used to help these people live a better life. All we need is 38 1 cents.... and I already got plenty of them :)

Value your 1 cents...if you don't want them, give them to me. I will go Myanmar this year...well, even if I didn't, my 1 cents would :)