It is said that family is the primary influence of a child’s life. It is safe to say that a family climate determines their thinking patterns as every child first acquires values and behaviours through the family.
Ipoh Echo had the chance to speak to Darren Lee, the founder of a gifting platform, Ribbon Gifting. He is one of those people who would thank you without even being prompted.
Allow us to share this young man’s story, on how his upbringing steered him toward the direction of helping others.
“Since young, my parents would take me with them when they donated to the Old Folks Home or Children’s Home. That wasn’t all, if they come across a homeless individual, they will always make sure to buy them a meal so they don’t spend the day hungry,” he shared.
He later learned that a simple gesture of kindness, be it volunteering work or simply holding the door open for someone behind you, is a powerful habit. Observing how his parents interact with other people has taught him to live below his means and be glad to be able to lend a helping hand to those in need.
“The idea of staying humble has always been ingrained in me at a young age, which also led me to volunteer at The Salvation Army Ipoh when I was 17,” he said.
Spending some time abroad had further reinforced the notion of giving back to the community. The 26-year-old Microbiology graduate, who aspires to be an entrepreneur, made a philanthropic move with his team, Ashley Soon, Lim Kee Yew and Richard Sin, the co-founders of Ribbon Gifting, to fulfill the children’s wish at The Salvation Army and buy them Christmas presents. The initiative is their way to encourage the public to buy gifts and care for the children at Homes.
The homegrown company aims to spread joy and empower others via curated gifts. After all, gifting is a gesture of showing someone that we care about them.
Many have hit rough weather during this crisis, which made Darren realise that an act as simply as supporting each other is needed more than ever before.
And Ribbon Gifting is one way to fulfill the promise of keeping human connection at the heart of every gifting occasion, especially for gift-givers and their loved ones. With just a tap of the screen, customers can send curated gifts to their loved ones no matter where they are.
When the pandemic took us all by surprise, Darren and his partners who had just returned from Australia, had to re-evaluate how to move forward. Hence, they devised a plan to boost the community’s well being and cultivate the spirit of giving back.
“When I lived in Melbourne, I felt the need to support others, especially the international student community and our Malaysian diaspora. There will always be people in need in the society we live in and if it is within my means of providing, even if it’s something intangible such as emotional support, I’m happy to give just that. I always hold the term ‘pay-it-forward’ very closely to me.
“Giving is like a ripple effect, it can start from a small gesture today to a stranger; not only will the positive impact ripple throughout the community, it can also have an uplifting effect on those helping them.
“Besides our community giving-back initiatives, we are creating a one-stop gifting platform, Ribbon Marketplace, for the Malaysian community (and those living overseas) to get their gifts seamlessly sent to their loved ones. We understand how challenging it is to build a business from ground zero, and as new entrepreneurs, we believe in the power of collaboration.
“Therefore, we are working with local brands such as new startups and home-based businesses to brand their products as gifts and hope the Malaysian community can find it easy to navigate through a platform to support their local talents. We also provide gift concierge services for anyone to mix and match products from different brands and curate a memorable and meaningful gift for their loved ones. Ultimately, we want to be the gifting platform to be the first you think of when putting a smile on the faces of your loved ones,” he explained.
He reminded us that we should be grateful and be thankful for the things we have in our lives. Reach out to your family and friends; that is the best way to start!
“I think people often associate helping the underprivileged community with contributing a lot of money. However, there are a lot of ways to reach out to others. Understand what they need and communicate with them,” he stressed.
Follow his journey of giving back to the community on his Instagram @darrenleeyj and Facebook page. One can also visit the Ribbon Gifting website at www.ribbon.com.my
Anyone who wishes to buy gifts for kids can check out this post. Darren and his team will have them delivered to the children.
Ribbon Gifting does not accept any donations. If anyone would like to donate directly to the Salvation Army, they can do so at https://salvationarmy.give.asia/campaign/christmas-kettling-2021-6488#/
Gisele Soo
=============================
Get your local news fast. Download the Ipoh Echo App on your mobile. Available on both Google Playstore and Apple Appstore.
