Hanifa K. Cook

Have you ever felt scared and nervous to express the truth about yourself? For too long, we have been told that speaking from your most vulnerable spot, makes you look weak and untrustworthy. I have found that by speaking from your most vulnerable spot, you instantly connect with your inner voice. You will appear more real and authentic. As a result, people will find you interesting and not boring.

Since 2001, Hanifa K. Cook has impacted and inspired many people to express themselves fluently in oral and communication. She has an obsession with how language performs in communication, especially in the way it influences how people think, respond and behave. She is the youngest of three children to a Javanese-Palembang Muslim couple. Hanifa grew up speaking 5 languages namely, Malay, Mandarin, Bahasa Indonesia and English, and a dialect called Hokkien even though both of her parents only speak Malay to their kids at home. Then they had no computers, internet or mobile phone devices. This shows that learning the art of speaking and communicating in any language is not dependent on the use of technological devices.

Yet, today, people around the world are exchanging information at lightning speed. Information arrives in the palm of their hands on their smartphones and computers faster than their morning breakfast. Kids aren't talking to their parents. People have communication issues because of language and cultural barriers that separate them from others they want to connect with. We are constantly seeking ways to build better relationships and express ourselves. We want to be heard. The only way to achieve this is by speaking, not texting, information exchange or translation.

Join speaker Hanifa K. Cook to help bring life back into the language we speak and bring out our authentic voices from within.

身为本地爪哇族同胞，从幼稚园起作为华语第二语言的习得者，Hanifa K. Cook 具有50多年的华文学习经验。2012起至今，经过五年的专业培训及各种演讲比赛的磨练，包括于中华总商会攻读商务汉语和英汉翻译技巧，她达到并能熟练地掌握多语言的沟通技能。

2015年8月5日是她首次于中华总商会华语讲演会举办口才训练班，站在舞台上呈现《自我介绍》演说。从那时起，她一直不断努力学习演说，通过口才培训，提升语言水准。

她参加过备稿比赛，在演讲比赛的荣誉榜上，争取到优秀的成绩。Hanifa第一次出赛便在2016年会内及分区备稿比赛中分别获得亚军；于2018年会内及分区备稿比赛分别获得了亚军和季军。她活力学习精神赢得了会员们的认可和肯定， 于2016年被选为2016/2017年度会员副主席。在这期间，她为讲演会尽了最大的努力，同时兼顾工作和家庭。她继续在这个职位上光芒四射，在2017年，会员们推选她为2017/2018年度中华总商会华语将演会会长，由此成为国际演讲会93年历史上及中华总商会17年历史上第一位非华人会长。

在她的带领之下，取得了骄人的成绩，获得L3分区最佳会友奖、会长级卓越讲演会满分大奖及最多增员奖和最快达标第二名。可喜可贺！如今，她以前任主席的职位带领及辅导现任执委团， 继续付出精神与力量。除此之外，她已完成高级铜级备稿及领导作业，目前是高级铜级讲员以及高级铜级领袖。

很多人都说大家学习语言的好榜样， 她与2016/2017年度会长贾超和2018/2019年度主席罗宝玉曾一起在新加坡报业控股广播公司(SPH) 95.8 FM和Mediacorp 96.3 FM电台接受采访，也曾在新闻媒体Berita Harian接受采访。

其实，Hanifa童年最美好的经历之一就是在观众面前讲话，她通常用普通话演讲，普通话是她在学校学习的第二语言。可她在2001年生了一位女儿后，她顿悟自己根本没真正达到双语运用自如的程度。尽管父母俩在家里只跟他们说马来语，但HANIFA居然能会说5种语言，马来语、普通话、印尼巴哈萨语和英语，还有福建话，证明一个人家境情况并非注定教育成绩，更不能确定未来。由此，为让女儿有机会接触到华语， 她决定重新探讨如何掌握双语学习习得能力。 她与女儿一起在学习华语道路上，总是告诉自己，“如果我的父母可以做到，我也可以做。”

“父母恩勤，养我身兮”，为谢家长的养育之恩， 这位能以华语讲讲的爪哇族培训师兼讲师，由于对华语的热爱和学习的热忱，站在讲台上更容易激起各种族学生学习华文华语的兴趣和好奇心。语言是人生沟通的桥梁，父亲留下的珍贵精神遗产，居然成为她的推动力， 绵延不断鼓励她和不同名族一起生活，享受一生的幸福。