Officials from both TSI and LCKN join the three students in a group photo.
KUCHING: The Sarawak Initiatives (TSI) has collaborated with the Lions Club Kuching North (LCKN) in ‘adopting’ three secondary students as part of their joint effort in championing education for the underprivileged groups.
Under the TSI-LCKN programme, Albert Affleck Thomas and Brenda Kueh of SMK Kuching Town No 1, and Aloysius Lim Francis of SMK St Thomas, would receive monetary aid of RM2,500.
In a joint statement, TSI and LCKN said the financial assistance under the adoption programme was to help students from very poor families pay for their schooling expenses.
Potential beneficiaries were identified by the respective school principals and after the assessment by both organisations, the selected students would be placed under the ‘Adopt a Student’ project.
“TSI and LCKN appreciate the announcement by Sarawak Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) on the allocation of RM10 million to Yayasan Sarawak to help poor students pay for their school tuition fees and other expenses.
“The kind gesture shows that the Sarawak government is sensitive to the needs of students from poor families when it comes to education.
“TSI and LCKN will seek a meeting with Yayasan Sarawak to further understand their policy and see where our NGOs (non-governmental organisations) can complement our services and assist in any way the students deserving of the financial assistance to be provided by Yayasan Sarawak,” they said.
The three students received the cash assistance during a simple ceremony held here on Feb 20.
Albert, 16, has 10 siblings and both of his parents have no stable job at the moment. Aloysius, 16, is a son of a single mother working as a sales promoter, while Brenda, a Form 5 student, has lost both parents and lives with her five other siblings.
“Although both NGOs can only play limited roles in allocating financial assistance (to the students), they focus on a greater role when it comes to highlighting issues facing our communities. This is how both NGOs work positively with the state government in bringing about positive changes in our society,” said the statement.
Understanding that education was free for primary and secondary school students, TSI and LCKN believed that it would be good to see how education could be made free of charge for deserving pupils in their pre-school years, and for students undertaking tertiary education.
Both NGOs would like to see all students not facing financial difficulties upon going through adolescence, and pursuing good education.
Touching on online studies, which had become a part of the new norms amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, TSI and LCKN expressed hope that both the state and federal governments could do more in assisting poor families acquire laptop / desktop computers for their children.
“Members of the public who have computers that are not obsolete and can still be used by students, can contact TSI via 082-452525 to arrange for collection and donation,” said the statement.
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