Taylor's ADP Thanksgiving Charity initiative for the single mothers at Rumah Kita, and children of LightHouse Children Welfare Home

During the recent virtual celebration of its Taylor’s American Degree Transfer Program’s (Taylor’s ADP) 25th Anniversary event, Taylor’s University announced its student-led charity initiative which will see students running online businesses to raise funds for charity houses, Rumah Kita and Lighthouse Children Welfare Home.

Grounded in its mission to produce graduates with various capabilities and skills, Taylor’s ADP Thanksgiving Charity drive will require students to learn the ropes of managing online business and organising a charity project in a bit to sharpen their creative and critical thinking competencies. 

Dato’ Loy Teik Ngan, Group Executive Chairman of Taylor’s Education Group, said the idea behind the charity project is to inculcate an agile mindset for students, so that they are able to create and innovate their own career path when they graduate.

“This charity project, which will run 100% by the students, is in line with our mission to provide a platform for empowering our youths to discover, explore and gain first-hand experience of how the real-world works, even before they graduate. From conceptualisation and back-end operations to day-to-day management, team support and stakeholder liaison, students are given the creative freedom to explore the ways of a real-world work settings, thus preparing them with agility and resilience that employers seek for the future workforce,” he explained. 

From now until 30 October 2021, students from Taylor’s ADP will be selling a plethora of items online, including baked goods as well as essential Covid-19 care kits such as fashionable reusable face masks and accessories essential for use during this time. The proceeds from the business will go towards providing essential aids to the underprivileged communities of Rumah Kita and Lighthouse Children Welfare Home.

Erica Boey, President of the Student Union for Taylor’s ADP, explained that the charity initiatives provide her and her fellow peers with the advantage of learning essential competent skills like communications, negotiation, management and teamwork. “Working on this project provide us great insights into how the world of work operates – we were given the responsibility to decide, manage, liaise and even create the makings of the initiative,” said Boey.

She further explained that the underserved communities of vulnerable children and abandoned young mothers are often overlooked, with or without the pandemic. “The children from the LightHouse Children Welfare Home, for example, needs special attention and care especially during this troubling time. As classes are moved online, how are these younglings expected to continue their education if they do not have sufficient amenities and tools for their lessons? If we, the community that’s blessed with food and shelter, complain about the hardship we endure during this time, what about these children who depend on the kindness of others for their comfort and safety?” asserted Boey.

Suraya Razak, owner of Rumah Kita, an NGO transit home providing abandoned single pregnant mothers with basic housing, maternity and baby care shared a similar sentiment. “At the height of this health crisis, it has not been easy managing a charity organisation that seeks to care for the abandoned young single-mothers, shunned away from their family and communities. We hope that the love and support we received from the community will continue especially during a time when help is scarce due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. We are thankful to Taylor’s University and its students, for thinking of us for this wonderful student project. The funds would help us to ensure that essential care is given to our group of single mothers and their babies in terms of food, shelter and medical care,” she said.

Those interested to help Taylor’s ADP students raise funds for the charity organisations are encouraged to go on to the Taylor’s 25th Anniversary website for further information. 100% of the proceeds will go to funding the needs of the single mothers at Rumah Kita, and children of LightHouse Children Welfare Home.

The Ambassador of the United States of America (USA) to Malaysia, Brian D. McFeeters, also joined the Taylor’s ADP 25th anniversary celebration and congratulated Taylor’s ADP and its students.

For more information on the Taylor’s ADP Thanksgiving Charity project, visit https://bit.ly/3ha3QnS.