UTP Brings Cheer to 60 Underprivileged Children (17 November 2015)

It was a joyful day for 60 underprivileged children when they received their school items at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS’ (UTP) signature annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, Menggapai Impian.

The children were from Persatuan Anak-anak Yatim Soleha, Tanjung Tualang, Batu Gajah; Persatuan Pengurusan Pusat Jagaan 1Malaysia, Ipoh Garden, Ipoh; Praise Emmanuel Children’s Home, Sungai Pari, Ipoh and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Harapan Baru, Pasir Pinji, Ipoh.

Now in its ninth year, Menggapai Impian aims to assist underprivileged children. For this CSR programme, UTP staff volunteer to sponsor a minimum of RM200 for one child.  Each child will be given basic school necessities such as school uniforms, bags, shoes and stationeries for the new school term.  Children are chosen from different racial backgrounds from various orphanages in the state.

The children received their school supplies from UTP Vice Chancellor, Datuk Ir (Dr) Abdul Rahim Hashim.

Datuk Abdul Rahim said that CSR is something that has always been taken seriously at UTP.

“We have always believed that a person or institution cannot exist in isolation, and serving the community, especially those that are closest to us physically, is our civic duty and our responsibility as good citizens,” he said.

“We realised from the start the importance of not falling victim to the so-called ivory tower syndrome – becoming so focused in our goals of becoming a renowned institution of higher learning that we forget our responsibilities to the community, instead we embraced the fact that we were and are a part of the community.  The people and community will always remain at the heart of UTP’s agenda,” he said.

Datuk Abdul Rahim said Menggapai Impian acts as a means for the university’s staff to give back to those in need and foster the spirit of sharing.  Since its introduction in 2007, the programme has aided 684 children from orphanages, welfare homes and schools in Perak.

Apart from Menggapai Impian, other CSR programmes initiated by UTP to continuously engage with its surrounding community are Convo Ride (donation of bicycles to underprivileged children), ‘Majlis Berbuka Puasa UTP’ (giving donations to and breaking of fast with the less fortunate people) and a community development project in Kg Aji, Bota Perak to assist the village in the three key areas – education, socio-economy and the environment.