SAMSUNG BRINGS HOPE TO UNDERPRIVILEGED KIDS WITH LAUNCH OF NEW PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVE

A better education and promising future await three Malaysian deserving homes through Samsung Hope, the company’s new corporate philanthropic initiative aimed at bringing communities together to help underprivileged children.

Samsung Malaysia has selected three beneficiaries - Children’s Protection Society of Penang, Shelter Home and the World Vision Malaysia (for its children education project in Lawas, Sarawak) which were chosen for their signification contributions in addressing children’s issues in Malaysia.

A total of RM292,500 has been allocated for the three beneficiaries and they will each receive RM65,000 base amount, with additional grant allocated determined by the number of pledges it receives.

Information on the beneficiaries are uploaded on the Samsung Hope microsite (www.samsunghope.org) where Malaysians can support their favourite beneficiary by pledging to let hope take off. Malaysians can also visit http://samsunghope.blogspot.com/ for updates on the activities of the three beneficiaries.

Samsung Hope is a regional initiative involving a record US$700,000 in grants to 21 children beneficiaries across Southeast Asia and Oceania. The programme empowers nationalities in each country to actively contribute to causes they believe in through deciding how the grant will be allocated.

Samsung Hope is also the new umbrella name for all Samsung’s CSR activities in the region.

Beyond the region, Samsung has also recently signed a new partnership agreement with the International Youth Foundation (IYF) to address youth unemployment in Africa by promoting job skills and preparing young people for successful, long-term careers.

“Samsung has been actively contributing to addressing social issues in the region through initiatives such as Digital Hope, which was launched in 2003 to help bridge the digital divide,” said Samsung Malaysia Electronics (SME) Sdn Bhd Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Lee Tae Jik.

The new Samsung Hope goes a step further by engaging the community in deciding the allocation of our grant. Through this empowerment, we aim to raise social awareness on the plight of underprivileged kids, and spur the community to help these kids imagine the future and realize their full potential.”

The three selected beneficiaries are:

The Children’s Protection Society

It began as an initiative of Dato’ Nazir Ariff when he was President of the Rotary Club in Penang (1991) and was officially launched in April 1992 by Puan Sri Chua Kah Peng.. It is a non-profit, non-governmental organization catering to the needs of neglected and/or abandoned children in Penang. CPS’ objective is to provide children at risk with a safe, supportive and conducive environment (Shelter).

Shelter Home

Shelter, a registered welfare organization, has been in existence since 1981 to help abused, abandoned, neglected or at-risk children. Shelter Home for Children started as a result of the vision of a group of seven friends who wanted to help the children in a squatter settlement along Old Klang Road.

World Vision Malaysia

World Vision Malaysia (WVM) was set up in 1997 as a support of World international, a global Christian humanitarian, relief and development organization working for the well being of all people, especially children. (WNM) is a member of World Vision International and is committed to promote transformation and development of lower income communities and to provide relief, education, health care, economic development and promotion of justice. (WVM) helps the poor to help themselves and work with them to build a sustainable future for their children, families and communities.

Its Lawas Project, started in March 2007, was aimed at promoting capacity building and community transformation through pre-school education for ethnic tribe of Lunbawang residing in and around the Lawas district in Sarawak. The majority of young Lunbawang children do not have access to holistic health care and early education. As such, these children are not able to participate at the same academic level with other counterparts when they enter Year One in public school.