Rotary Malaysia in collaboration with MB Inc Perak carried out a corporate social responsibility project (CSR) project to hand out laptops to deserving B40 families.
Some 100 laptops will be given out to Form 4 and form 5 students who are preparing for their year-end 2021 and 2022 SPM examinations
“While schools and teachers are endeavouring to provide them with on-line lessons but many students who do not have the means are left out of education in the new norm.
“Digital poverty is increasing and this dilemma considerably affects students from low-income and marginalised families, having no access to necessary online tools and internet connectivity to learn online.
“While many have to struggle with the basic necessities during these stressful times, some with unemployed parents, education may not be a priority to them at the moment”, said Pathma Devy, President, Rotary Club of Ipoh South.
Connectivity will be made available with YES through their respective schools. Project Strategic Partner, Brickfields Asia College will provide free SPMflix online learning for the students preparing for SPM.
“This project is to give every student an opportunity for education where deserving students are identified by Rotary Clubs in Perak and the Student Monitoring Process ensures that every student’s needs with regard to on-line learning is attended to,” she added.
“The challenges faced by students are huge and it is only through collaboration and strategic partnerships can pressing problems be addressed collectively” said Nor Afzanizam Abdul Manan, Chief Operating Officer of MB Inc, one of the leading GLCs in Perak.
“Since March 2020, when MCO was enforced, Rotary Clubs in Malaysia embarked on providing emergency relief through its Food-Aid initiative. Rotary Malaysia raised more than RM1.1 million distributing food items, grocery and health care essentials to families in need.
“The relief effort reached more than 12,000 families and 10,000 frontlines. The Laptopbank project is Phase 2 of Rotary’s initiative, focusing on education and building on sustainable relief and we welcome donations of laptops,” added Rotary Past District Governor, Siti Subaidah Mustaffa, the Laptopbank project Chair.
The beneficiary of the first laptop for Perak is student Vishalini Selvam whose father, Selvam Maniam works as a gardener.
The presentation, was held at the Chambers of the Yang DiPertua Dewan Undangan Negeri Perak.
“I welcome the engagement of the State, GLCs and Rotary as this synergised effort will strengthen the government mechanism to reach out and provide for our underserved communities, especially those in rural areas. Due to Covid-19 the use of technology becomes a necessity and we have a responsibility to ensure that the students are well equipped”, said Dato’ Mohamad Zahir bin Dato’ Abdul Khalid, Yang DiPetua Dewan Undangan Negri Perak.
Also present at the presentation ceremony was Kamarul Dato’ Mohd Arif, Assistant Governor, Rotary Malaysia and Asokan Kandiah, Past President Rotary Club of Ipoh South.
Those keen to donate a laptop or support the Laptopbank project complete the Donation Form http:// laptopbank.cloud.my