AIESEC is a non-profit youth-run organization that strives to achieve peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential by activating leadership qualities in youth. They provide exchange programs in terms of volunteering, creating a positive impact through social projects. The main vision of AIESEC in Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) is to unleash youths’ true potential and unite them to strive for societal impact in the Perak community. They strongly believe that youths are the fundamental key in unlocking a better future.
Make A Difference 12.0 was a local project that AIESEC in UTAR initiated based on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: Zero Hunger to raise awareness on one of the global issues that is still happening all over the world. In terms of malnutrition and hunger, as recorded in the 2019 Global Hunger Index, Malaysia ranks 57th out of the 117 qualifying countries and endures a moderate hunger level. The people in Malaysia also experience higher rates of malnourishment and impaired growth, whereby 12% of children in Malaysia eat fewer than three meals a day.
AIESEC in UTAR’s initiative is therefore aimed at reaching out to the public and supplying them with knowledge of food awareness to create a sustainable future for all.
Make A Difference 12.0 lasted 4 weeks from January to February 2021. Throughout the duration of the project, AIESEC in UTAR were able to bring various values to their virtual volunteers and participants.
The key activities included:
- Life starts with Food Workshop (LSWF)
- MAD Workshop
- Film Making
- Nutritional Food Challenge (NFC)
- Social Media Avocation
- Online Crowdfunding
The key partners who contributed to the project’s success include Dr Ong Mei Kying and Mr Sim Kheng Yuen who are both lecturers at UTAR, as well as Cikgu Razman from SK Ayer Kuning who supported the project in terms of getting 30 students involved.
Through Make A Difference 12.0, participants were able to gain knowledge in terms of nutrition and integrate it in their daily lives. They were also able to develop a better understanding towards the nutritional issues in the world and how every person plays a part in raising awareness. For more information on the project, visit this link: Make A Difference.
Below are some testimonials from the local virtual volunteers (LVVs):
“I can say that every LVV in this volunteering project is so amiable and approachable even though the program is conducted online and only lasted for 4 weeks. However, we are still able to bond together closely like family and friends. To be honest, I think this is the most precious value I found in this little family.” – Hang Zhong Yu
“For me, it was an incredible journey. It was a good platform for us to join this kind of virtual volunteering program. Being a volunteer is not everyone’s favorite, but it is a good experience getting to know someone from a different culture and state, and becoming friends is amazing. Teamwork is the main point for a run to be more successful. Without teamwork, there is nothing in this world that we can create a change for the future.” – Balasundram Sinnathambi
“First of all, I would like to say I never regret that I had joined this program in my semester break. The three realizations I have learnt are “Don’t waste other people’s time”, “Be patient”, and “Be brave”. I’ve found that getting things done as quickly as possible would save people time and hassles. Also, there were many chances to train ourselves, so I think we have to be brave to grab it and step out of our comfort zone.” – Lee Zhen Le
For updates on future projects and more information on AIESEC in UTAR in general, follow their Facebook page.
