SHUTTERBUGS GATHER WITH A HEART FOR SOCIETY!

Charity photo hunt held in aid of less fortunate

11 March 2014, Kuala Lumpur – Berjaya Times Square was transformed into a sea of black & white clad participants recently as 151 shutterbugs joined the Nikon Charity Photo Hunt Contest 2014, raising RM15,000.00 which was channelled towards the maintenance and improvement of the Siddharthan Care Centre.

Unlike other typical treasure hunt events, the Nikon Charity Photo Hunt carried a unique twist – it required participant to snap photos of their answers instead of writing them down. As a result, the bustling Bukit Bintang turned even more hectic as the participants traversed every corner seeking their ‘treasures’.

One for the album. Participants, kids from Siddharthan Care Centre and Nikon staff gather for a group photo before the Nikon Charity Photo Hunt.

Due to the overwhelming response, the judges were only able to announce the winners a week after the event.

Loo Wern Chong emerged the grand prize winner, and received a Nikon DSLR D7100 kit with AF-S 18-105mm lens. Lum Wai Him came in second and walked away with a Nikon DSLR D5300 kit with AF-S DX VR 18-55mm lens. Ong Chung Ping won third place and won a Nikon 1 J2 10-30mm kit while See Toh Kok Keong came in fourth, winning a Nikon Coolpix S3500. Puah Siang Meng won the fifth prize of a Coolpix S2700 while Yong Pau Khin took home the sixth prize of an Aculon T01 8x21 (WH) Binoculars.

(left) Ms Tan Siak Jin, Director cum General Manager, Administration Department, Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd receiving a token of appreciation from (right) Mr S. K. Manimaran, founder of the Siddharthan Care Centre.

“Believing in the power of photography to help the needy, Nikon has organized various charity events to help raise awareness and funds for charity homes. Today we are very privileged to work with Siddharthan Care Centre in this event to further improve the living condition and lives of its residents,” said Tan Siak Jin, Director cum General Manager, Administration Department, Nikon (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

And they’re off! Participants all fired up as the Nikon Charity Photo Hunt is flagged off.
“For this event alone, we are thrilled to have raised a significant amount for the Care Centre! We were pleasantly surprised and very much encouraged by the response from all and look forward to organize more of such events to benefit those around who need such support.” she added.

Participants both young and old doing their best to contribute to the less fortunate.

Nikon channelled 100% of the total participation fees (RM80 – Non-Nikon Club member and RM30 – Nikon Club member per participant) to the Siddharthan Care Centre, which provides vocational training, special education, shelter, food and medical needs for children who are orphaned, abandoned, drug-addicted or from poor and abusive families, between the ages of 3 to 18 years old.

Kids from the Siddharthan Care Centre put on a special dance performance for the public.

According to Mr. S. K. Manimaran, the founder of the Siddharthan Care Centre, the funds will be used to expand and re-equip the care centre’s facilities and its surroundings, which will cost about RM50, 000. A further RM68, 000 is required to clear the debts and payments, in order to keep the centre afloat.

“We hope to renovate the balcony into another room to increase the comfort of our children. Currently, about 35 people occupy two master bedrooms. We would also like to purchase two computers for the centre, to increase the knowledge of our children and minimise the technology gap,” he added.