St. Joseph’s Institution International School Malaysia recently kicked off the upcoming Christmas festive season with a charity project called the ‘Solidarity Santa Bag’ in the school. This project which took place throughout the month of December was organized by the Lasallian Activity Committee and the Parent Support Group of SJIIM with the proceeds going to the La Salle Pouthum School in Cambodia.
Members of our Parent Support Group prepping the kits for delivery to La Salle Pouthum in Cambodia
The La Salle Pouthum School, which opened in 2012, is a school that is run by the De La Salle Brothers for underprivileged children. It currently runs classes for 187 children from Kindergarten to Grade 1. The students, mostly from poor Cambodian and migrant Vietnamese families, are in for a surprise this coming new year as they will each be going back to school with a ‘Back to School Kit’ that is personally packed by SJIIM’s students and filled with goodies such as books, stationaries, toys and much more. Cheers of celebration will literally be ringing louder around La Salle Pouthum in the years to come as well with the purchase of a new PA system courtesy of the funds raised by the Catholic Co-Curricular Activity group parents who joined the project as well through a successful Charity Bazaar in the school.
One of the many parent-run booths at the charity bazaar
Brother Jason Blaikie, Brother Director in SJIIM, expressed his delight at the outcome of the project saying, “It has always been the modus operandi of the De La Salle Brothers to help out members of our wider Lasallian community following the principle of noblesse oblige. That is to say, we are obligated to assist, given our fortunate circumstances. It is my hope that we at SJIIM continue to develop our understanding of our Lasallian values and to be sincere in all that we do for the wider Lasallian Community”.
Sheela Sam, Chair of the Parent Support Group in SJIIM, also conveyed her appreciation to everyone who helped make the project a success. “Credit must go to Brother Jason and the Catholic Co-Curricular Activity group parents as they have worked tirelessly on the project and managed to raise the necessary needed funds for the school. The Parent Support Group is honoured to have such dedicated parents as this would not have materialized without their hard work and generous contributions”.
Packed with love by our very own Lasallian students
Activities and projects such as this are hallmarks of SJIIM’s identity as a Lasallian school. Its charity and outreach projects are part of the school’s backbone and the comprehensive involvement of the school’s community in these initiatives is a reflection of SJIIM’s continuous dedication to reach out to the ‘The Least, The Last and The Lost’ through its values-centric education.
