Kids Scuba founder and veteran diver, Syed Abdul Rahman Syed Hassan, recently recounted his passion for the underwater world to Malaysia Airports Convergence Magazine.
“What got me into diving, 26 years ago, is that I used to travel and snorkel, seeing the beauty of the underwater realm. Snorkelling was only a surface level but to see the beauty below, I took a diving course in Tioman.”
That may have been where it began, but Syed and his diving have come a long way over the past 26 years. Today, Syed is a PADI® Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Chairman for the ISO Recreational Scuba Diving Standards Committee for Malaysia and former Vice President for the Malaysia Scuba Diving Association – but it is his dedication and commitment to introducing kids, teenagers, orphaned youth and youth with disabilities to the underwater world that has earned him international awards and recognitions.
When asked about what he finds most fulfilling as a diver, Syed says “It is always the blessings or achievements of students who were trained by us becoming instructors and teaching others.”
This alone speaks volumes to Sayed’s character. So too does that fact that Sayed uses his Various PADI Certifications and travels abroad to make a difference in his local community. In 2004 he opened Kids Scuba in the state of Selangor; a dedicated diving school for children and teens.
“With patience, determination and endurance, I finally got the support from the government and have established Kids Scuba as one of the pioneering diving schools for children in the Asia region.”
PADI would like to congratulate Sayed and the team at Kids Scuba on their outstanding contribution to teaching children and young people from varied backgrounds to dive.