PETALING JAYA: For college student Nency Philip Selvaraju, the English language is a passport to a better life outside the Beradin estate in Johor.

Born and bred in the estate, Nency already understood the economic value of the language even as a child.

Her parents and teachers had constantly reminded her about the importance of mastering the English language so that she could get a higher-paying job in a town or city.

“I don't want to live in the estate for the rest of my life. I want to go out and see the world,” 21-year-old Nency said in fluent English.

“I strongly believe that a good command of the English language will enhance my career prospects and eventually help me move the entire family out of the estate.”

Seeking a better life: Nency and Philip Selvaraju at the Beradin estate in Johor.

Nency, who is studying aircraft maintenance and engineering, said her parents an estate tractor driver and a general worker work more than 12 hours a day to enable her to pursue tertiary education.

“My parents also take up jobs like grass cutting and cleaning to support my studies, with some financial aid from relatives and the estate community.

“They work seven days a week for extra income and usually take only public holidays off to rest,” says the Nilai University College (Nilai UC) student.

While her family lives on a tight budget, Nency says life in the estate has been peaceful and quiet, which is one of the reasons her parents have not moved elsewhere.

With the world becoming increasingly globalised, Nency's curiosity about the “outside” world also has also grown and she discovered on the Internet many foreign cities that she has yet to visit.

“I will always surf for travel info such as the top 10 places for holidays whenever I get a chance to surf the Internet,” she says.

Nency's father T. Philip Selvaraju, who dropped out of school after Form Two, says he wants to give his children the best education because he believes education, coupled with a positive attitude, can change a person's life.

“It doesn't matter that my wife and I have to work so hard to raise and nurture my children.

“All I ask for is that she will help those who are less fortunate when she becomes successful one day,” he says.

Nency's ultimate goal is to become a pilot and travel around the world.

This has inspired her to pursue a programme related to aircraft.

At Nilai UC, Nency is thrilled to study in an English-speaking environment where she has opportunities to interact with foreign students in English.

Upon completion of her diploma in September, Nency hopes to secure a scholarship to pursue a cadet pilot training programme.

“With English being a global language that is widely used in the aviation industry, it is even more important for me to continue to improve my proficiency in the language.

“When my dream comes true, I want to take my parents along and explore the world together,” she said.

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