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Child Sponsorships in Malaysia

child sponsorships malaysiaMalaysia, known for its bewitching terrain of rainforest, beaches and mountains, also struggles with its overwhelmingly increasing poverty. Since 2020, COVID-19 has worsened conditions for children living in extreme poverty. Around 72,000 children under 15 live in disheartening conditions that do not meet their basic needs, such as access to education, abuse, sexual exploitation and much more. Due to the virus, absolute poverty has increased by 8.4%, compared to a 5.6% increase in 2019. However, the insurmountable hardships children face in the nation can be reduced through powerful child sponsorships.

Child sponsorship is a charitable practice that allows individuals to provide financial support to a child, often in a developing country. Programs like these can lead to improvements in health and opportunities. The children get basic needs that they usually do not have; this breaks them out of a cycle of poverty and offers a flourishing future ahead. They foster so much support from their sponsor family by gaining clean water, nutritious food, and access to a proper education. For a child living in poverty in Malaysia, these organizations can greatly improve the quality of their lives with long-term support. These are the top child sponsorships in Malaysia.

Dignity For Children

Dignity for Children Foundation is an NGO that targets undereducated, poor children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The initiative began in 1998, and its learning center now has more than 2,000 students ranging from 4-19 years old and began with only 20.

Its numerous support programs, varying from lessons in agriculture to creating businesses for underprivileged kids, lay the foundation for a participant’s successful future. Sponsoring a child is how the organization runs, providing them with its abundant amenities. Since the beginning of Dignity for Children, the organization has helped change 12,000 lives by setting up a future that was seemingly impossible for these children.

World Vision Malaysia

World Vision Malaysia has granted 80,000 people clean water and improved literacy among 15,000 children. The impacts of sponsoring a child are interwoven into the program, revealing how a sponsored 8-year-old girl made it to university and how a little boy living through the aftermath of the Korean War became a sponsor after being sponsored. Indeed, these compelling efforts deservedly placed World Vision as one of the top child sponsorships in Malaysia.

BRCR Malaysia

The BRDB Rotary Children’s Residence (BRCR) in Seri Kembangan, Selangor, is a long-term care facility dedicated to supporting underprivileged and at-risk children in Malaysia. Established through a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Kuala Lumpur Diraja and BRDB, BRCR provides a safe, multiracial, and multicultural home for children, emphasizing character development, education, and life skills. The residence currently cares for 65 children and relies entirely on public donations to sustain its operations.

The BRCR’s Sponsor A Child (SAC) program, launched in 2020, supports the most vulnerable children by providing them with full-time child protection, counselling and nutritious meals. The organization focuses on nurturing children until they reach employment. Contribution to the program gives a child a second chance in life.

Child Sponsorships in Malaysia

Individually, each of the top child sponsorships in Malaysia provides essentials for underprivileged children that might have never received them if it were not for these programs. World Vision Malaysia, Dignity for Children and BRCR all empower children intellectually through improved access to healthcare and education. They gain external support that they weren’t born with, and create an unbreakable bond between the sponsor and child.

– Kassandra Ticas

Kassandra is based in Gardner, MA, USA and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Child Marriages in Malaysia: Tradition, Law and Reform

Child Marriages in MalaysiaMalaysia, an up-and-coming developing country that has fought its way through Portuguese, Dutch and British colonization from 1511 to 1824. It is also recognized as one of the 17 megadiverse countries, rich in natural heritage and biodiversity. Despite its progress toward modernization, Malaysia has seen an alarming increase in child marriages.

Law

Countries like Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Malaysia all have one thing in common: the Shariah jurisdiction, which is a form of religious law that is based on Islamic scriptures. The Shariah jurisdictions are split into three different systems:

  1. Classic Shariah system: Sharia law serves as the national law and the judiciary is often overseen by a monarch, as seen in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Brunei.
  2. Secular system: Shariah courts handle only personal affairs and have no authority over the country’s legal system, as in Indonesia, India and Nigeria.
  3. Mixed system: The most common system, where the national legal system coexists with Shariah jurisdiction over specific areas such as marriage, divorce, child custody, dress code and alcohol consumption.

While the jurisdiction of religious laws may appear suitable in some contexts, certain practices may be seen as extreme. For example, in 2019, Brunei’s Sharia jurisdiction introduced a new penal code that mandates death by stoning for offenses such as blasphemy, apostasy, sodomy and insults to Islam.

Correlations

The correlation between child marriages and Sharia courts lies in the fact that Sharia jurisdictions often bypass the legal age requirement for marriage, putting many vulnerable children at risk. One of the most common reasons for child marriages is financial hardship, leading parents to arrange marriages for their children in hopes of securing their future. Unfortunately, this often results in children missing out on their childhood and education and possibly facing abusive relationships.

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), a total of 1,856 children were married in 2018, 1,372 of whom were female and 170 of whom were male, making 83% of such marriages under the Muslim faith. Unfortunately, according to data from the Shariah Judiciary Department of Malaysia, the approval rate for underage marriage during 2005–2015 was around 82%, with the Law Reform Act 1976 (LRA) unable to detest the Shariah court, allowing the lives of 1,856 children and many more in danger.

Reform

In response, Malaysia’s Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has launched the National Strategy for Addressing the Causes of Child Marriages, which will run from 2020 to 2025. The plan includes six factors, such as low household income, lack of education and negligent laws. It aims to provide social protection for low-income households, improve access to sexual reproductive health and parenting education, increase school attendance and address stigma around child marriage in communities. The strategy also calls for stricter laws to prevent underage marriages and ensure accurate data on marital status.

This strategic plan has already shown positive results, reducing the number of child marriages in Malaysia from 1,856 in 2018 to 1,042 in 2021, a reduction of approximately 44%. Although there’s still much work to be done, more nongovernmental organizations are collaborating to put an end to child marriage ultimately.

– Rayden Lim Jun Ee

Rayden is based in Tropicana, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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3 Organizations Providing Education for Children in Malaysia

Education for Children in MalaysiaMalaysia, located just south of Thailand in Southeast Asia, is home to more than 35 million people. Major cities include Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya and Johor Bahru. Recently, Malaysia’s education system was ranked second in the region based on test scores. However, it also placed last in Southeast Asia. While some families can afford quality education for their children, others living below the poverty line struggle to prioritize education. It is difficult for families with lower incomes to spend money on education when they have so many other needs that they need to tend to. Organizations like Dignity for Children Foundation, Teach For Malaysia and Budimas Education Charity Fund are dedicated to providing educational opportunities for children from impoverished families in Malaysia.

Dignity for Children Foundation

Founded in 1998, the Dignity for Children Foundation aims to provide quality education to impoverished children. Its mission includes support programs, education initiatives, a farm academy and various enterprises designed to offer a well-rounded education that prepares children for employment.

Through donations, child sponsorships and the efforts of many volunteers, the foundation has significantly impacted the lives of impoverished children. Starting with 20 students in 1998, the foundation now supports 2,300 students aged 2 to 19 as of 2024. In addition to offering free quality education, the foundation also provides meals.

Teach For Malaysia

Established in 2010, Teach For Malaysia aims to reduce educational inequality across the country. The organization recruits and trains individuals to work in under-resourced schools, ensuring that all children have access to quality education regardless of their family’s financial situation. Partnering with the Ministry of Education, Teach For Malaysia addresses impoverished students’ challenges and advocates for systemic change.

Students taught by Teach For Malaysia’s fellows experienced 36% more academic growth than their peers. By training and placing new teachers in schools with high needs, the organization significantly impacts education in Malaysia.

Budimas Education Charity Fund

Founded in 2001, the Budimas Education Charity Fund is dedicated to making education more accessible for all. In Malaysia, where many children would have to travel more than 40 kilometers to reach school, the organization works to bring education closer to those in poverty.

The Budimas Education Charity Fund has established 12 libraries in underprivileged areas, providing thousands of books and spaces for children to complete schoolwork and engage in educational activities. By offering free books and educational resources in regions with limited school access, the organization is committed to enhancing education for less privileged children in Malaysia.

Final Note

While accessing quality education in Malaysia can be extremely challenging for underprivileged children, organizations like the Dignity for Children Foundation, Teach For Malaysia and Budimas Education Charity Fund are making significant strides to address educational inequality. These three organizations have positively impacted many lives by improving access to education and resources. Although the statistics and rankings regarding education in Malaysia may raise concerns, efforts by these organizations offer hope for a brighter future.

– Poppy Duggal

Poppy is based in Chevy Chase, MD, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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5 Charities in Malaysia

Charities in MalaysiaMalaysia, located in Southeast Asia, is known for its high levels of income inequality compared to other countries in the region. A significant percentage of the population, precisely 40%, falls under the low-income bracket, with more than 5% of Malaysians currently living in absolute poverty. Fortunately, five charities in Malaysia assist the economically vulnerable population. These organizations offer a variety of support, such as scholarships and educational aid and build free homes in rural areas.

SOLS Foundation

The SOLS Foundation, formed in 2000, is a Malaysian organization that aims to help the bottom 40% of the population with low socioeconomic statuses by providing free education and employment support. SOLS initially began providing free English teaching. However, this organization has now grown to offer further support through digital skills and social empowerment programs. SOLS has contributed immensely to many communities around Malaysia by providing more than 800 scholarships to disadvantaged children and setting up more than 1000 community programs for the youth.

Hope Malaysia

Hope Malaysia is an “emerging civil society organization (CSO),” founded in 2016, that focuses on “empowering poverty-stricken remote and rural villages” in Malaysia. The charity has started many supportive projects, such as installing gravity water systems in more than eight remote villages and implementing sustainable farming methods, which has helped more than 250 families spanning 10 rural villages. Such projects have allowed many Malaysians access to more water and food security.

Dignity for Children Foundation

The Dignity for Children Foundation, founded in 1988, is a nongovernment organization that now provides “holistic care and education for urban poor children in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.” The organization is dedicated to providing quality education and a safe learning environment for disadvantaged children between the ages of 2 and 19 in urban Malaysia. The organization “is now a learning center for more than 2,300 children.”

Epic Homes

Epic Homes is a program that aims to bridge the urban and rural divide by constructing homes for underprivileged communities such as the Orang Asli indigenous people in Malaysia. The program was initiated in 2010. It has successfully built more than 175 homes around more than 10 villages, ultimately developing and strengthening sustainable rural communities.

MyKasih

Created in 2009, MyKasih is a nongovernmental foundation that effectively distributes food aid to impoverished students and families in Malaysia. The charity has distributed more than RM200 million ($52 million) worth of food to disadvantaged families and students nationwide, including those in Sabah and Sarawak. This foundation has also managed to provide education bursaries to up to 10,000 Malaysian children in more than 104 schools across the nation, as MyKasih goes by the philosophy that education can be “the best ticket out of poverty.”

With a wide income divide and many living in poverty, these five charities successfully provide sustainable changes and aid to disadvantaged and vulnerable people in Malaysia.

– Zaynab Yusuf
Photo: Pexels

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Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society: Impact in Malaysia

Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting SocietyLocated in Southeast Asia, Malaysia is one of the founding partners of the ASEAN Trade Bloc. It was created to boost economic coherence and fluidity within the region. Following the challenges posed by the aftermath of COVID-19, the trade bloc has witnessed a consistent resurgence in Gross domestic product (GDP) growth. With a population exceeding 34 million, Malaysia has emerged as a developing economic powerhouse in the region, emphasizing its strengths in agriculture, industrial processes and the service sector.

As a Commonwealth country, Malaysia boasts one of the most diverse population demographics. This article will delve into a small charity initiative, the Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society, within the Penang community on Malaysia’s west coast. Penang, a vibrant island, has long been recognized as a focal point for generations of Chinese migrant families who now consider Malaysia their home.

Malaysia’s Public Health Care System

Malaysia’s public health care system ranks third internationally in reliability, funded by citizens through tax, providing affordable services. However, long waiting lists have become the norm due to understaffing issues. The issue is still prominent despite government efforts to raise funding as of 2023 with $7.9 billion compared to $7.1 billion as of 2022. As a result, families with urgent medical issues often have to opt for private health care despite difficulties affording it. This is where organizations such as the “Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society” come in to help families.

Through religion, the Moral Uplifting Society helps instill a sense of calmness amid uncertainty and change for struggling families. These families are dealing with various issues, such as not being sure if they will receive their paycheck next month. They are coping with the stress and guilt of being unable to provide their children with necessities so that they can have a normal childhood.

The Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society

The Che Hoon Khor Moral Uplifting Society was founded in China in 1954 and later expanded to Malaysia and Singapore, becoming a significant force in charitable activities. Countless volunteers aged 30 to 90 are the driving force behind the society’s charitable work. Many of them have dedicated their lives to donating their money and time to travel across different parts of Southeast Asia and help those in need.

Interview With Madame Ooi

Madame Ooi has spent more than a decade with the group and acknowledges how hard it is to sympathize with what people go through. “The fact is that none of us will know what they go through unless we had the same upbringing as them,” she stated.

Working alongside the group, she has been able to help different families through various struggles. Her efforts span organizing impactful food drives and raising money through charity balls and auctions.

The charity of the society impacts the local community by financing essential needs like school equipment, rent and emergency operations. It provides free meals and medical services for those in need. Additionally, it donates to the retired elderly to support their necessities.

The Boy Who Never Walked

One of Ooi’s most memorable moments working for the society was when she got to know one of the families applying for free medical help. A young couple who grew up in Penang had brought their 3-year-old boy to her office to fill out paperwork. The boy, who was born with a congenital disability, was carried by his dad. The doctors said that the umbilical cord had caused complications with the growth of his leg. The boy had never walked or run; with school coming up, they wanted him to be able to play with the other children. The boy was eager to run around, much like he had seen others in his neighborhood do. His parents had requested help to afford a free prosthetic leg for him, which would have cost them around $1200.

The organization paid for the boy’s prosthetic legs. Ooi recalls how she and the other staff members crowded around him eagerly outside the same corridor where he first arrived on his father’s shoulder. The doctor helped him put it on, and with the help of his parents, he got up. She remembers seeing the massive smile across his face as his parents guided his first steps and how the staff around her shared happy tears with her as they saw the boy and his family in joy over an incredibly intimate moment.

Conclusion

Although policies, schemes and government investments are helpful against poverty, they often fail to address each family’s unique challenges. Poverty is often looked at as the lack of money, which carries an element of truth. But money isn’t the entire recipe for the cure for poverty.

It is often up to these organizations, such as the Che Sui Khor Moral Uplifting Society, to ensure that their basic needs are met, not just financially but also supporting their emotional distress amid the challenges.

The charity section of the Uplifting Society continues to impact the local community of Penang, Malaysia. It supports more than 300 amputees annually by covering their medical expenses. This support enables children like the boy Ooi met to take their first steps into their future. The organization also helps guide those in need out of poverty by offering support and assistance through their work.

– Matthew Fung
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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5 Organizations Tackling Food Insecurity In Malaysia

5 Organizations That Tackle Food Insecurity In Malaysia More than 333 million people worldwide faced food insecurity in 2023, according to estimates by the World Food Programme. When it comes to global poverty, food insecurity is one of the most pressing issues. It disproportionately affects women and children, particularly those from low-income nations. The burden of severe food insecurity in Malaysia is 16% and malnutrition is 20.9%.

The most vulnerable communities to the crisis are residents of Kelantan and Sabah, since agriculture is the main driving factor of their economies, the disruption of which exacerbates food insecurity and poverty among the regional population. The pandemic also thrust a lot of Malaysian residents already facing food insecurity even further into the crisis.

5 Organizations Fighting Food Insecurity in Malaysia

Fortunately, several regional and national programs tackle food insecurity in Malaysia. They aim to help alleviate the crisis among low-income families, marginalized communities and during natural disasters. Below is a list of five nonprofits and NGOs that are doing substantial work:

  1. Sincere Charity Association. Established in 2020 following the outbreak of the pandemic, the Sincere Charity Association provides financial, nutritional and welfare assistance to Malaysian families in need, single mothers, disabled people, orphans and students. In 2023, it held a New Year charity activity that monetarily helped 100 families. Participants also received free meals.
  2. Rizq-Ar-Rahman. This organization tackles food insecurity in Malaysia by providing weekly home-cooked meals to more than 300 families in need in Kuala Lumpur. It has implemented long-form solutions like installing water tanks in Malaysian villages to provide families with access to clean water.
  3. INSAN. Under its Food Security project, INSAN distributed food baskets to more than 500 people in 2016 and more than 1125 in 2018 in and near Kuala Lumpur and Selangor state. INSAN’s annual Qurbani program, which helps vulnerable Muslim communities in Malaysia by providing Qurbani meat, benefited 2025 people in 2019.
  4. Kechara Soup Kitchen. Since 2008, the Kechara Soup Kitchen has provided meals to 1,324,072 people in urban communities throughout the country. Its food bank program, which gathers surplus food and produce from markets, hotels and businesses and distributes it to those in need, has helped 21,698 families tackle food insecurity in Malaysia.
  5. Food For The Hungry International Malaysia. Launched in 2006, FHI Malaysia focuses on providing food to children in the rural areas of Sabah and conducting community development through agriculture. In September 2022, it converted a wetland along Sabah into a plot to implement a System of Rice Intensification, an ecological strategy meant to increase the productivity of rice and other crops.

Looking Ahead

In the face of mounting food insecurity challenges, Malaysia is witnessing the unwavering dedication of various organizations committed to making a difference. With innovative approaches and grassroots initiatives, these groups are providing essential support to those most vulnerable, from rural communities in Sabah and Kelantan to urban families in Kuala Lumpur.

As these organizations continue to expand their reach and impact, they embody collective resilience, demonstrating that through collaboration and compassion, overcoming food insecurity is within grasp. The road ahead, while challenging, is brightened by the promise of sustained support and community empowerment, guiding Malaysia toward greater food security and prosperity.

– Jay Kosumi
Photo: Unsplash

Freedom from Poverty: Malaysian Palm Oil

Malaysian Palm OilPalm oil is the world’s highest-yielding vegetable oil and Malaysia’s third highest-yielding export. For many smallholders in Malaysia, it is also a means of escaping poverty. However, Malaysian palm oil smallholders are facing both domestic and international pressure to improve their sustainability credentials. 

Oil Palm: The Money Tree

Malaysia is one of the largest palm oil producers in the world, second only to neighboring Indonesia. Smallholders, farmers who cultivate oil palm areas of less than 50 hectares, account for 40% of palm oil output in Malaysia. Since the 1960s, land conversion schemes run by the government’s Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) agency have supplied smallholders with land to grow oil palm. These schemes have successfully reduced the poverty rate among smallholders by 90% (from 50% to 5%).

Oil palm cultivation has been an unprecedentedly effective means of reducing poverty. However, even today many Malaysian palm oil smallholders have average incomes below the national poverty line. These farmers and their families experience poor social and environmental standards as a result. 

The Push for Sustainability

In 2013, the Malaysian government set up the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard to regulate the Malaysian palm oil industry. Since 2020, smallholders have been required to have MSPO certification, which aims to improve management practices and reduce the risk of threats to biodiversity, like land conversion. In 2021, the Malaysian government provided 20 million Malaysian Ringgit (RM) to help smallholders acquire MSPO certification. However, mandatory sustainability certification requirements have increased smallholders’ financial burdens, compounding existing problems such as expensive land tenure and limited market access.

The EU Regulation

Malaysian palm oil smallholders are also facing international pressure to improve sustainability. In December, a new EU regulation banned imports of commodities grown on land deforested after 2020. Malaysia — along with Indonesia — has accused the EU of blocking market access for their palm oil and threatened to stop all exports to the economic bloc. In a joint statement, a group of six smallholder associations from both countries said that the EU’s “unrealistic demands on traceability and geolocation” could deny smallholders market access.

Historically, oil palm plantations have replaced swathes of forest and more diversified cropland in Malaysia. According to a study published in January 2023, oil palm is one of the “main crops threatening biodiversity and natural habitats in Southeast Asia” along with rubber. Malaysia’s national sustainability certification program was partly meant to assuage international fears about the deforestation risk associated with palm oil. And although the EU’s new regulation has the potential to harm the income of Malaysian smallholders, it should be considered in the context of Malaysia’s export markets. In 2022, the EU accounted for only 9.4% of Malaysia’s palm oil export volume. 

Looking Ahead

In the face of domestic and international pressure, Malaysian palm oil smallholders are taking steps toward improving their sustainability practices. The Malaysian government’s establishment of the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard and financial support for smallholders to acquire certification demonstrates the commitment to enhancing management practices and protecting biodiversity. While challenges remain, including financial burdens and market access limitations, there has been progress toward a more sustainable palm oil industry that can benefit both smallholders and the environment.

– Samuel Chambers
Photo: Flickr

National Training Week for Vocational Education in Malaysia

Vocational Education in MalaysiaVocational education in Malaysia is critical to the Southeast Asian country’s plans for development in the long term. While the Malaysian government has traditionally adopted measures to immediately improve the livelihoods of low-income groups, it is now focusing on improving vocational education as a long-term solution.

In April 2023, the Malaysian government announced that it would be organizing its first National Training Week (NTW) from May 22 to May 28, 2023, a week-long series of vocational courses aiming to upskill 125,000 participants.

What is the National Training Week?

The Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp), which is in charge of the initiatives, aims to attract over 5,000 educators who will deliver over 5,000 training courses, each designed to address a specific vocational skill. All courses are cost-free, so Malaysians from all walks of life have access to this vocational education. This includes pre-school children, teenagers, young adults, new graduates and senior citizens, alongside established professionals.

NTW has three main objectives: to “make lifelong learning a culture for Malaysians,” “increase strategic inter-government cooperation” and to “equip Malaysian talents with future work skills and knowledge.”

As of May 2023, Malaysia’s first-ever NTW has opened over 1,400 courses in 37 skill areas, with the participation of 700 course providers. The course’s directors will feature key government ministry and industry players.

How Will This Help Malaysia’s Poor?

According to the World Bank, 40% of jobs are linked to Malaysia’s significant export activities, which were disrupted by the global pandemic. As such, Malaysia’s unemployment rate has been at its highest since 1991, at 4.61% in 2021. This is also the sixth-worst unemployment rate in East and Southeast Asia. In 2015, the Gini coefficient – a measure of income inequality – for Malaysia was 0.41; for comparison, the USA had a Gini coefficient of 0.42 in 2019.

The government has traditionally used cash transfers to low-income households to address this issue, according to the World Bank. Although this appears to be an effective strategy in the short term; in the long term, it could deplete government resources.

In contrast to cash transfers, making vocational education in Malaysia more accessible to the entire population could allow the government and the private sector to benefit in the long run, as better-skilled individuals boost the productivity of the industries they go into. Apart from increasing the flow of output and raising average incomes for Malaysians, the government is also optimistic that this will attract foreign investment. All of these factors will create overall economic growth in the long term, according to NTW’s official website.

Improving the Availability of Vocational Training in Malaysia

By improving the availability of vocational education in Malaysia, the country could unlock its human potential from all sectors of society. Creating a more skilled workforce has traditionally been part of the Malaysian government’s development plans. The country aims to achieve reach up to a 35% skilled workforce by 2025.

The Malaysian government’s investment in this venture for its citizens’ vocational education could ultimately be beneficial for all levels of society, from the unemployed and low-income groups to the private-sector companies (through access to more skilled employees), setting the stage for developing a more prosperous Malaysia.

– Tiffany Chan
Photo: Flickr

UNICEF Works to Address the Impacts of Income Inequality in Malaysia

Income Inequality in Malaysia

After achieving independence in 1957, the Malaysian government has maintained a laissez-faire approach. To an extent, this approach was successful as the country’s GDP grew by 4.1 percent from 1956 to 1960, 5.0 percent from 1961 to 1965 and 5.4 percent from 1966 to 1970. However, despite these positive trends, economic disparity continued to persist.

The UNDP 1997 Human Development Report and the U.N.’s 2004 Human Development Report (UNHDP) both found that Malaysia has the highest income gap between the wealthy and poor in Southeast Asia (including Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines). The UNDP’s research also found that the richest 10 percent in Malaysia earn 38.4 percent of the nation’s wealth. In comparison, the poorest 10 percent only control 1.7 percent.

Impact of Income Inequality in Malaysia on Children

This level of income inequality Malaysia has an especially concerning impact on children. UNICEF warns that the widening gap between the poorest and richest 20 percent has implications on child development, protection, participation and survival. Dr. Alberto Minujin, Professor at The New School and at Columbia University explains that children experience poverty differently than adults. They are especially vulnerable to certain types of deprivation and even short-term destitution can result in long-term effects. For instance, malnourishment can influence a child’s health and ability to perform well in school. This in turn would negatively affect their long term health and education.

Hans Singer, who works for the U.N.’s Economic Affairs Department, explains that investing in children would actually help the economy. In his study, “The Role of Children in Economic Development,” Hans found that malnutrition was a factor in low productivity in developing countries. Therefore, development initiatives focused on the wellbeing of children would further spur the economy and potentially shrink Malaysia’s income gap.

On a national level, UNICEF Malaysia has been supporting the government to implement development initiatives to improve the well-being of children and improve inclusivity. Initiatives range from promoting equity to strengthening national policies to establishing social services to child-focused social inclusion and disparity reduction.

Recent Legislation Protecting Children

One of the organization’s achievements was the enactment of the Sexual Offences against Children Act 2017. This piece of legislation allows for the advancement in the protection of children from sexual crimes. UNICEF Malaysia programme priorities match the goals of UNICEF’s East Asia and Pacific Regional Headline Results. This means they focus on protecting children from both online and offline sexual exploitation, abuse and violence, fighting harmful practices against girls, strengthening civil registration and increasing access to justice and family-based care.

On a global level, UNICEF has also launched several development initiatives for the benefit of Malaysia’s children. In the 1980s and 1990s, the organization formulated the First Call for Children concept, which mandates that “children’s priority needs should have a first call on resources.” In addition, UNICEF established the 20/20 principle — a new initiative to restructure existing spending methods, rather than adding additional funds, to maximize current resources. The idea was that both donor and developing countries would contribute 20 percent of their national public expenditures to basic needs including primary health care, primary education, clean water and reproductive health in hopes of achieving greater global collaboration for a good cause.

– Iris Gao
Photo: Flickr

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SOLS 24/7 Promotes Technology and Education in Malaysia

SOLS 24/7
SOLS 24/7 is an international humanitarian organization dedicated to ending poverty in Malaysia. It aims to provide poor and underserved people with technology and education to which they otherwise would not have access. The nonprofit runs five social enterprises to help eradicate poverty in Malaysia.

Five Ways SOLS 24/7 Promotes Technology and Education

  1. SOLS Energy
    SOLS Energy believes that solar panels are the best way to alleviate poverty in Malaysia in a lasting, sustainable way. Malaysia is the world’s third-largest producer of solar panels; local production makes solar panels affordable and their purchase supports the domestic economy. Malaysian homes with solar panels get, on average, a 16.9 percent return on their investment annually from being able to sell excess solar power to the electric grid. In total, the solar panels distributed by SOLS Energy have prevented more than 162,000 pounds of CO2 emissions from electricity generated by fossil fuels. SOLS Energy also runs Solar Academy, which trains Malaysians in solar technology to create jobs and spread the knowledge of how to maintain, install and repair solar panels.
  2. SOLS Tech
    SOLS Tech has a twofold goal: eliminate e-waste and spread digital literacy in Malaysia. As a licensed electronics refurbisher, SOLS Tech collects, repurposes and distributes discarded electronic devices. In 2015 alone, Malaysians discarded 44 million electronic devices. Rather than let this waste sit in landfills and pollute the environment, SOLS Tech fixes discarded electronics and shares them with those in need. Approximately 10 million Malaysians do not have access to a computer. SOLS 24/7 believes that computer literacy skills and computer ownership will widen economic opportunities and help alleviate poverty.
  3. SOLS Smart
    SOLS Smart aims to provide high quality and affordable education to all Malaysians. It teaches English and computer literacy, two skills that SOLS 24/7 views as essential to thriving in the modern economy. SOLS Smart is a certified Cambridge English Language Assessment Centre, meanings its students can take the internationally recognized Cambridge English Exams. Learning English and passing these exams opens new opportunities in employment and further education. To date, English classes have reached more than 10,000 Malaysians, and another 5,000 have received training in computer skills. SOLS Smart is one of seven Google for Education partners in Asia. Students are taught to use Google software and products and, at the end of their training, can receive an official certification from Google.
  4. SOLS Scholars
    SOLS Scholars works to help promising students from underprivileged Malaysian communities pursue higher education. It has held more than 100 development workshops, at which students receive academic coaching, job preparation training and college counseling. It has provided more than 450 scholarships to universities across Malaysia for students who otherwise would not be able to afford higher education.
  5. SOLS Edu
    Combining SOLS 24/7’s interests in education and technology, SOLS Edu is a digital learning platform that can be accessed by app or online. The idea behind SOLS Edu is to offer Malaysians, newly equipped with technology through the SOLS Tech program, another way to receive an education. The digital platform is interactive; students learn in a variety of ways (games, videos, etc.) and teachers remotely track students’ progress. SOLS 24/7 believes that access to education and technology will give Malaysians living in poverty new economic opportunities and a brighter future.

Through its many social enterprises, SOLS 24/7 is working to alleviate poverty in Malaysia. Its focus on both education and technology is reflective of the highly globalized, highly electronic modern world of today. By offering classes, job training and education opportunities, as well as providing people access to electricity and electronic devices, SOLS 24/7 is helping millions of poor Malaysians shape a brighter future for themselves.

– Abigail Dunn
Photo: Flickr