By V. Sivaji
With the Festival of Lights just around the corner, the Sunway Group launched the “#sunwayforgood Deepavali Cheer 2019″ to bring cheer to 900 Perakian school children in need at the Lost World of Tambun.
The children were from the underserved communities, especially those in the B40 community.
Aside from bringing smiles to the community, the programme is also aimed to ensure the children’s long-term future through education.
The event included an educational tour at Ipoh’s renowned theme park; providing school supplies to students; upgrading school librarie; and a Literacy Aid programme.
The 160 school children were from various schools including SJK(T) Klebang, SJK(T) Ladang Chemor, SJK(T) Kg Simee, and SJK(T) Ladang Strathisla.
The students were also treated to a sumptuous luncheon at Lost World Hotel and received school supplies including school bags, stationeries, water and food containers, multivitamins, tooth paste, mouthwash, reading materials and environmentally- friendly repurposed soap made by Sunway Hotels & Resorts
The programme was supported by Perak Exco Member’s Office, the Perak Education Department and Friends of Mankind was designed as an urgent response to studies that showed even though there is a decline in dropout rate.
Perak Health, Consumer Affairs, National Integration and Human Resources executive committee chairman and Sungkai Assemblyman, Sivanesan Achalingam who was the guest of honour at the event.
He commended Sunway Group’s initiative as one that is supportive of the Perak Government’s focus on uplifting B40 households.
Sunway City Ipoh Executive Director, Wong Wan Wooi said that the entire initiative was aligned to Sunway Group’s commitment to the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals, aimed at sustainable and equitable development that leaves no one behind.
“Our founder and chairman, Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah believes that education offers the best route out of poverty. We hope that by reaching out to these 900 primary students from B40 groups and providing them with school necessities, the students will be motivated to pursue education for a brighter future.
“Our #sunwayforgood initiatives which is aimed to help people who are most in need have reached out to 40,000 beneficiaries thus far, and we hope to be able to reach out to 50,000 beneficiaries by the end of the year,” said Wong.
To spread the merriment of Deepavali celebration, Sunway will also release a Deepavali video soon.
In a multiracial country like Malaysia, every festival is celebrated by all Malaysians. The video features the importance of unity among Malaysians, and how we can all appreciate and embrace our cultural uniqueness and differences.
Ipoh Hyperlocal.com takes this opportunity wish everyone a Happy Deepavalli and Happy Holidays.
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