PETALING JAYA: The Eco World Foundation honoured its many supporters and donors by hosting the Eco World Foundation Appreciation Dinner 2015 – a special night filled with live shows and performances. Guests of honour was YB Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister of Transport Malaysia who was accompanied by his wife, Datin Sri Lee Sun Loo.

Established in May 2014 under the auspices of Eco World Development Group Berhad (EcoWorld), the Foundation serves as the Group’s charitable arm in providing assistance to underprivileged Malaysians.

Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye, Chairman of the Eco World Foundation expressed his gratitude to the Foundation’s generous donors for their kind contribution this year which totalled more than RM7.81 million.

Lee said: “We are indeed honoured to see our many generous donors who believe and subscribe to the aims of our Foundation. Your support provides us with the inspiration to continue our mission of charity for the benefit of the community.”

The Eco World Foundation seeks to help disadvantaged Malaysians to improve their quality of life and it focuses on promoting education which is a key element in breaking the cycle of poverty facing many in the country.

“Education for the poor is a subject very close to my heart and that of the Foundation. We believe that our children are our most important assets; they are the hope and future of the country and everyone deserves an opportunity to a better life,” said Lee.

The Foundation’s main programme is the Eco World Students Aid Programme (SAP) which provides financial assistance to about 3,000 underprivileged primary and secondary students with the objective of keeping needy children of all races in school. SAP reaches out to students in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang, Johor, Sabah, Perlis, Kedah and Pahang.

With a budget of RM5 million per year, the SAP practices a holistic approach by addressing every aspect of a primary student’s educational requirements, from equipping them for the new school year and arranging meals in school to paying their school and tuition fees.

Students who achieve good results in the UPSR examinations are also eligible to apply for a continuation in the SAP to secondary education and subsequently to tertiary level as well.

It was a heart-warming moment at the dinner when SAP tertiary level student, Debbie Quah shared her life story and expressed her sincere gratitude to the donors and the Foundation for the kindness and care received.

Apart from the SAP, Lee mentioned several other activities organised by the Foundation this year. At the beginning of the year, the Foundation provided aid to students and families affected by the 2014 floods that hit the East Coast by cleaning up schools in Kuala Krai and Manek Urai. It also provided essential furniture to schools nationwide and sponsored 30,000 copies of The Star education pullout worth RM30,000 to Chinese schools in the Klang Valley to improve English proficiency.

Lee also added that with the setting up of the Eco World Foundation Volunteers Club in May, its work would be made easier as it now has over 360 volunteers made up of EcoWorld employees who are fully committed to the Foundation’s cause.

The Foundation acknowledged the top eight donors for the dinner who were Tay Hup Brothers Construction Sdn Bhd, Fook Yu Electrical & Building Contractor Sdn Bhd, Cicet (M) Corporation Sdn Bhd, Tan Ngee Hong Construction Sdn Bhd, Kerjaya Prospek (M) Sdn Bhd, Advancecon Infra Sdn Bhd and Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin, Chairman of Eco World Development Group Berhad.

The dinner was a lively affair with special appearances by Australian artist Donna Daniels and stand-up comedy duo Douglas Lim and Kuah Jenhan. Highlights of the night were also the in-house performances by staff of EcoWorld who came together to put up a harmonious choir assemble and a symbolic dance performance – ‘The Four Seasons Dance’.

Lee also thanked the staff of EcoWorld who had volunteered their time and effort in making the Appreciation Dinner a success.