RYTHM Foundation Chairperson Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran has been featured by Siakap Keli, a Malaysian Malay-language digital media publication, in a long-form profile that traces her life from a childhood shaped by war, displacement, and separation to her work defending the rights and dignity of children with special needs.

The article explores how those early losses shaped her definition of success and led to the founding of Taarana School, the Foundation’s award-winning education centre for children with special education needs.

For Datin Sri Umayal, impact lives in small, human moments. A first word spoken, a child finally accepted, and a parent who feels less alone.

“To me, success is when a child who previously could not speak finally says their first word,” she shares.

Read the full story below and see how lived experience, empathy, and perseverance continue to guide her work.