Now, I’m not saying that you should go out there and supply them with your donations all on your own. Instead, consider helping out through organisations like NFN, who’d manage these donations, ensuring they reach the right hands that need these items. Sending in non-perishable food, clothes, hygiene products, and blankets can also make a difference in their lives! Got some spare change or money at the end of the month? You can reach out to them to make a donation, which directly translates to a meal for someone. Remember no amount is too small and each ringgit goes a long way.
As much as I understand the importance of providing for the community in this way and how essential it is for their survival, we as a university and a community, should focus on the long-term benefit of these people and come together to provide the means for them to make a change and strive for a better independent life for themselves and their family. And what does this mean? EDUCATION, of course!
Like the saying goes, ‘Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you've fed him for a lifetime’. With education, we can provide them with skills necessary to go out and get a job. We’ve the ability to rehabilitate and train them in different fields so that they’ve the valued skills necessary for employment such as digital literacy, basic concepts in business studies, hands-on skills like building, and so much more. There are also a large number of them with hidden talents such as art, music, and writing. These people can be educated on how they can use these talents to make a living for themselves and, in doing so, change their lives forever.
There are various organisations and clubs you can join at Taylor’s that are already working tireless with the aim to help these communities in different ways. You can sign up with the Taylor’s CSI club or even volunteer with the Taylor’s Community who are doing an incredible job helping out several underprivileged communities. You can also run your own CSI programmes through your clubs and societies or even with your friends during your semester break! As we educate others to upskill themselves, let’s remember to educate ourselves to become more humane towards others, and especially so during this pandemic.
I urge all of you to join in and help because we’re not us and them... We’re one community. So, what can you do to change all our lives forever?