Six UMS project proposals approved for funding By Fiqah Roslan

KOTA KINABALU: Six grassroots project proposals were approved for funding in conjunction with Projects for Happiness 2018, to promote happiness and address the root cause of poverty and poor education.

The projects were proposed by University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) students and were approved for RM39,375, with a minimum additional 10 per cent of funds raised by participants as part of the conditions to enhance project impact.

UMS was invited to participate in Projects for Happiness 2018 by Khind Starfish Foundation, an initiative that started in 2014 and is open to all undergraduate students in Malaysia.

The six projects covered health education for increasing alcohol awareness in Tambunan, environmental awareness in stopping plastic straw usage in Kota Kinabalu and community development in implementing sustainable technology systems for clean drinking water in Tawau, Tenom, Papar and Ranau.

The projects were guided by lecturers from the Engineering, Science and Natural Resources, and Medical and Health Sciences faculties.

UMS vice chancellor Professor Datuk Dr D Kamarudin D Mudin said it was the first time that UMS participated in the programme and thanked the Centre for Industry and Community Network (CICN) for organising it. He also thanked UMS members for their support.

“The strong support of lecturers and students from the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Science and Natural Resources and the Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences is very much appreciated and we believe the participation of more students from all faculties at UMS will be expected in the future.

“All areas of the Projects for Happiness project design, which are education, poverty eradication, cultural and performing arts, environmental protection, animal welfare and racial harmony, shall be looked into.

“We hope that this collaboration will continue so we can encourage student initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship by finding creative ways of helping to uplift lives of those who are socio-economically challenged through sustainable community initiatives,” he said in his opening address.

His speech was delivered by CICN director Professor Dr Coswald Stephen Sipaut. Also present at the event was Khind Starfish Foundation chairman Cheng Ping Keat.

Standing, from third right: Cheng and Coswald with team members who won the Best Project Award with their ‘Sustainability Designation and Implementation of the Idea of Biosand Filter at Kampung Singgaron, Ranau’.