30 schools to receive grants

Money to fund ‘Kindness Projects’

PETALING JAYA: As many as 30 schools will each received RM1,000 to fund “Kindness Projects” as part of the #StandTogether National Kindness Week, which kicks off on Monday.

The funding is provided by property developer SP Setia and R.AGE under the #StandTogether campaign.

“The quality of this year’s kindness project submissions was very much improved from last year and I am happy that this initiative has gained a deeper traction from students and teachers alike.

“It wasn’t easy to rate the submissions as there were so many good ones,” said SP Setia head of group branding and communications Adelene Wong.

Student Muhammad Muqri Daman Huri, 16, from SMK Kubu Gajah was overjoyed when he discovered his team won the grant.

“Our school is very small, only over 100 students. The fact that we managed to get recognised, even against other bigger city schools, has already made us very happy, and even more of my friends here have been motivated to participate.”

His teacher agreed with him, saying that her fellow teachers, inspired by the nomination, have also started suggesting more ideas, on top of their original plan to nominate school Kindness Ambassadors and visit elderly people in the community.

“My students want to build an environment which encourages students to come to school, which is why we’re trying to make it a kinder place,” said teacher Tay Lee Yen.

“In a rural school like this, it’s important to let the students know they can succeed, and equally important, to also ingrain in them that they should contribute back to society.

Danial Izzat Azwan, 17, from Sri KDU Secondary School, hopes the grant can help create an impact beyond his school.

“It’s important for us to promote fairness between students, regardless of age, ethnicity and status, because this will play a big role in helping to make the community more united,” he said.

His school’s projects include a Kindness Jar, where students are encouraged to leave positive messages for friends and teachers and a “Guardian Angel” mentorship programme that pairs Form 1 students with senior prefects.

R.AGE deputy executive editor and producer Ian Yee said the grants were to empower students to create a kinder Malaysia.

“We’ve seen incredible impact from student-led movements around the world recently like the #MarchForOurLives protests and the school climate strikes, and we know Malaysian students can do the same.”

Aside from the grant winners, hundreds of schools across the country will also be observing National Kindness Week on April 1-5 as part of the #StandTogether campaign, which is endorsed by the Education Ministry.

Teachers and principals can still register their schools to observe National Kindness Week and receive free #StandTogether resources and materials, developed by experts to help create a more positive environment in schools.

To register your school for National Kindness Week, go to www.standtogether.my, or email alltherage@thestar.com.my.