To ease the financial burdens of underprivileged families and to raise the spirits of students as they enter the new school year, UEM Sunrise Berhad (UEM Sunrise), in collaboration with Yayasan UEM, the philanthropic arm of UEM Group Berhad, had recently distributed school necessities to 251 primary and secondary students.
The annual Back-To-School programme commenced from 16 November to 21 November 2023 and covered five of UEM Sunrise’s PINTAR-adopted schools in Kuala Lumpur and Iskandar Puteri, Johor. A group of UEM Sunrise staff volunteered to distribute school necessities to the 251 underprivileged students chosen by their respective schools.
The essential items donated included two sets of uniforms, one school bag, a pair of shoes, socks and a sports attire voucher. In addition, female students from the participating secondary schools in both regions were also provided with reusable sanitary pads, further highlighting the Company’s efforts in conservation and dissuading single-use sanitary pads.
In the Central region, the Back-To-School programme took place at the Company’s creative retail space, Publika Shopping Gallery, where, in addition to receiving the school supplies, the students were also given an outing around the retail space, akin to a school trip. As for the Southern region, the same programme occurred at the Company’s office in Imperia Tower, Iskandar Puteri and SK Ladang Pendas, both located in Johor Bahru.
UEM Sunrise Chief Executive Officer Sufian Abdullah said, “Aligning with our CHIEF values, we always believe in the importance of giving back and forming closer ties with the communities. As such, we are honoured to work alongside Yayasan UEM in this programme, specially catered for underprivileged students to reduce some of their families’ financial hardships and burdens.”
“We are deeply appreciative to Yayasan UEM for supporting us to alleviate some of the students’ financial hardships, which deeply resonates with our own Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. We hope that our contribution to these students will help spur their happiness and excitement to go to school and focus on their studies.”
The recently concluded programme marks the second time for UEM Sunrise, alongside Yayasan UEM, to have contributed school necessities to students in need. The first time was held in February this year where 292 students from 10 schools under the Company’s PINTAR-adopted schools, around Bangi and Iskandar Puteri have benefitted from the programme.
UEM Sunrise’s Back-To-School Programme corresponds with the Company’s CSR strategy, which hinges on two pillars, namely the ‘Education Enhancement’ pillar, based on a firm belief that education is a fundamental human right and must be extended to every child regardless of gender, race, religion or economic status and the ‘Community Engagement’ pillar, where it aims at engaging the local people regularly with emphasis on social inclusiveness by organising related events, providing the appropriate assistance to improve community’s participation and foster shared prosperity continuously.
The Company has run various CSR programmes about education and community engagement, among which it has also unveiled its 12th BukuHub in its joint-venture township with MCL Land Sdn Bhd, Forest Heights in Seremban, in November 2022 to cultivate the reading habit among the public.
Between 2022 and 2023, UEM Sunrise organised six initiatives alongside its PINTAR adopted schools, namely distributing #CaringIsMyHappy Kit, Kem Kecemerlangan SPM 2022 for SMK Medini, and Program Peningkatan Prestasi SPM, with two Back-to-School programmes and the Company’s National and Malaysia Day Campaign, called My Malaysia Moments. A total of 1,940 students have been aided from the activities during these two years.
