A fundraiser for a building extension project for the Penang Shan Children’s Home received a welcome boost when WOU’s on-campus learning full-time students raised about RM11,500 for the community-oriented initiative.
Fifty-five full-time students taking the co-curriculum course this year raised the amount for the home’s premise in Mount Erskine. They accomplished this mainly through a charity food fair and charity dinner.
THE LARGE TURNOUT AT THE CHARITY DINNER IN SUPPORT OF THE HOME.
The home, a non-profit NGO, caters to the needs of orphans and neglected children, as well as kids from dysfunctional and single-parent families. It currently offers shelter, food, clothing and care to over twenty children aged 7 years to 15.
It is now seeking to build a new wing that would cost an estimated RM500,000. This is to help meet increased demand as many children are still on the waiting list due to space constraints. The expansion will allow the home to take in another twenty to thirty children.
FOOD FAIR HELD AT THE MAIN CAMPUS.
The food fair organised by the students, themed ‘Lighting Up Lives’, was held at the main campus on March 12th. They sold cookies and drinks along with savouries and desserts to register a net profit of almost RM500.
They also raised a net total of about RM11,000 through the charity dinner at the Rainbow Paradise Hotel on April 3rd. About 280 students, guests and staff of WOU turned up. They included Vice Chancellor Prof Dato’ Dr Ho Sinn Chye, School of Foundation & Liberal Studies (SFLS) Deputy Dean Jasmine Emmanuel, and School of Business & Administration Deputy Dean Prakash V Arumugam.
THE CLOWN STRUMS HIS BALLOON GUITAR FOR THE DUET BY THE STUDENTS.
There were song and dance performances by the full-time students, a magic show by one of the open distance learning (ODL) students, guest performances by JS Music School from Lunas, Uncle Jimmy and the recycled band, and a clown in attendance making balloons and amusing everyone. Lucky draw prizes were also given out.
DANCING TO THE BEAT… THE FULL-TIME STUDENTS IN ACTION.
Lecturer for the co-curriculum course, Jasmine, lauded the students’ compassion and commitment. “They were very passionate about this project of their choice and had worked very hard for it,” she said.
