Petaling Jaya, 30 March 2022– Education is often referred to as the great equaliser and two organisations are working together to empower students from B40 communities through a community transformation programme in the hopes of breaking the cycle of poverty.
RYTHM Foundation, the social impact arm of the QI Group, joined hands with MyKita, a Malaysian NGO in Kerling, Selangor to launch a unique three-year programme called Project Insaniah, which began in January last year. Now in its second year, Project Insaniah is a community development programme that aims to support adolescent students from low-income families and disadvantaged backgrounds by providing them a platform for education opportunities and character development to develop their potential.
Project Insaniah is a holistic programme developed jointly by the two organisations and designed to nurture the untapped talent within this community. The initiative includes coaching in core academic subjects such as Bahasa Malaysia, English Language, Mathematics, Science as well as training the students in skills such as Microsoft Office tools, coding, mobile, and graphic design training. Project Insaniah also mentors the students to help them grow into well-rounded individuals and responsible citizens.
The first batch of 25 students aged 13 to 15 who enrolled in the programme last year have been exposed to livelihood skills training such as electrical work, air conditioner servicing, and vegetable farming. They have also participated in character-building activities and community service to help them cultivate civic-mindedness and encourage them to develop a spirit of volunteerism.
As the project kicked off during the pandemic, the Foundation also provided monthly internet data packages for the children who lacked the resources to join online lessons. In addition to this, six complete sets of desktop computers were also donated to the Insaniah Learning Lab to support the students who lacked these facilities at home.
During the recent hybrid annual event, RYTHM Foundation Chairperson Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran highlighted how the initiative is driven by the belief that children and youths are the future of a nation.
“The real wealth of the nation is really you, hence we want to see each and every one of you shine. Ultimately, success is always an individual effort, it cannot be shared and it is very individual based on your own efforts, but we are here to help you succeed. My request to all parents is to support your children in every way possible. Guide them and show them the proper way because your children are the future of our society and nation.”
To ensure meaningful impact, the MyKita team regularly conducts livelihood skills training and monthly camps which see active participation from the students. Mr Kumar Sathambrum, Advisor to MyKita said: “We subscribe to the belief that these youth are entitled to an equitable opportunity to succeed. Thus, together with RYTHM Foundation, we want to play a pivotal role in helping these youth believe that success is possible and to create opportunities for them to make positive changes in their lives.”
One of the 25 beneficiaries of the Insaniah program is 14-year-old Sri Kieshalinie Devi, the youngest daughter of a lorry driver and housewife from Kalumpang, Kuala Selangor. With her father as the sole breadwinner, the family has been unable to afford tuition classes to support Sri Kishalinie’s academic development.
Project Insaniah has helped students like Sri Kieshalinie excel in more ways than one. Thanks to the support from the project, Sri Kieshalinie not only obtained excellent grades, but she has also stepped out of her comfort zone to participate in activities like storytelling, singing and poetry recital. Under this initiative, parenting workshops, home visits and structured family gatherings were also organized to provide the students with a stable family support system for their education.
The recent hybrid event was held to share progress updates on the 25 students who have benefitted greatly from the activities organised in the first year since Project Insaniah commenced. The event also served as a platform for the various talent showcases by the students as well as powerful testimonials shared by parents and tutors. RYTHM Foundation continues to work closely with MyKita to monitor the progress and track the impact of Project Insaniah through periodic assessments to ensure maximum impact amongst the community.
