52 children receive new school items

PEKAN, January 9, 2021 - “We are overwhelmed when the children have the opportunity to get new school uniforms through this donation,” said the mother of seven children, Nur Shahidah Adizan, 39 who was present with her son choosing school items in the Back to School programme in Mydin Kuantan recently.
The program was jointly organised by the UMP Women’s Association (MATAHARI), UMP Advanced Education, Centre of Industry and Community Network (ICoN) and Centre for Advanced Tropical Bioscience (Biotropic Centre).
According to Nur Shahidah, who lives in Kampung Tengah, Kuantan, the life struggle and money hardship caused her and her husband Amizan Awang, 43, to be frugal to provide for her six children to start a new school session.
“Every year, we will ensure that the children’s clothes are always taken care of in good condition as a hand-me-down for their siblings. 
“The kids will usually use the school items belonging to their sisters and brothers.
“So they rarely have the opportunity to wear new school uniforms every time they start a school session due to money constraints,” she said.
Furthermore, it is difficult to purchase the supplies all at once because her husband’s income is not much.
“My husband works as a labour and I am a full-time housewife.
“I would like to thank UMP for the concern towards the less privileged local community,” she said.
Also present were the Pulau Manis assemblyman Dato’ Haji Khairuddin Haji Mahmud, Acting President of the UMP Women’s Association (MATAHARI), Datin Sri Fazia Ali and Chief Executive Officer of UMP Advanced, Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Rusllim Mohammad.
Datin Sri Fazia thanked all the contributors who made this programme a success.
This collaboration benefits 52 children and this effort will be continued to help families in need.
“Furthermore, many of them are affected by the economic situation after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country,” she said.
Meanwhile, Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Rusllim said the programme is part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the local community.
“We also aim to share this kind of sustenance by making this an annual programme.
“Hopefully this contribution will encourage the children the herald a new school session and study hard to succeed, insya-Allah,” he said. 
The programme was held in two sessions in compliance with the standard operating procedures (SOP) to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Every year, MATAHARI is helping the needy through fundraising.
In today’s programme, they were given the opportunity to experience choosing school uniforms, shoes and supplies worth RM150 per recipient.

By: Nor Salwana Mohd Idris, Corporate Communications Unit, The Office of The Vice-Chancellor
Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, Engineering College/Faculty of  Chemical and Process Engineering Technology