HSL kicks off CSR project with repair works on single mum’s house
KUCHING: Hock Seng Lee ( HSL) has kicked off its new ‘Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds’ corporate social responsibility ( CSR) programme by helping a single mother to repair her house in Siburan near here.
Good Samaritans from the group gathered on Saturday to conduct repair works on the back section of the house where the kitchen and toilets are, install new doors and fi x the walls.
HSL sponsored all the equipment, and some 40 staff members – from accounts to project management divisions – took part in the project.
According to HSL corporate affairs manager Shirley Loo, HSL has selected Hope Place Kuching as its fi rst ‘Healthy Bodies’ partner due to the local nongovernmental organisation ( NGO)’s strong track record for bringing together people from the public and private sectors to help the less- fortunate members of society.
“We are great admirers of Hope Place and its founder Kelvin Wan. Wan’s contribution to society is immeasurable. Hope Place is the top pick of this first ‘Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds’ group.
“Besides sponsoring Hope Place, Wan has also given us a list of families whom we could help directly. We have selected the Siburan family – a single mother caring for three children.
“Our staff took the opportunity to involve the children – from five years old of age to a teenager – (in the programme) and taught them some skills like planting vegetables. We also installed a new clothes- drying post and cleared the surrounding areas. A few staff members brought extra clothes and food for the family.”
In his remarks, Wan was pleased with the HSL-Hope Place collaboration, adding that HSL had stepped forward after reading about the family’s plight in the newspaper recently.
“There are many members of the public who need a helping hand. Hope Place was founded to help identify deserving, poor families and match them with government welfare programmes and private donations.
“For this family, HSL has stepped up. We hope for more future collaborations,”
There are many members of the public who need a helping hand. Hope Place was founded to help identify deserving, poor families and match them with government welfare programmes and private donations.
Wan said.
‘Healthy Bodies, Happy Minds’ is HSL’s new CSR initiative, a tie-up between its human resources and corporate affairs departments.
All staff members are divided into monthly groups – each to organise and conduct a social outreach activity.
For this, they are given some time off and also a budget for their ‘activity day’.
They are also given the freedom to plan their activities, but the management also provides a loose guideline on the CSR, which should focus a ‘caring society and greener environment’.
“We really want to make healthier lifestyles a part of our working culture.
“While health is an individual responsibility, we want our workplace to have a positive influence on our colleagues’ lifestyles,” said HSL executive director Simon Lau Kiing Kang. While HSL builds amazing infrastructure for Sarawak and great homes for our clients, we also want to help those who are less fortunate. A caring society is a better society.
“Many of us come from humble backgrounds, and we have benefitted from a helping hand.
“This is a virtuous cycle we want contribute to.”
HSL has set up a special CSR page on its website, seeking for public ideas and feedback.
For more information, visit hsl.com. my, facebook.com/ hopeplacekuching or facebook.com/ kelvinwanvolunteerwork.
Kelvin Wan, Hope Place founder