Underprivileged, and disabled communities have a harder time expressing themselves to the public also due to lack of platform and awareness. Therefore, this project aims to promote and empower this community to embrace their true selves and expose their feelings to the public.  For this project we will do writing workshops for these communities and then collect the products from these workshops to be compiled into a book filled with their thoughts and emotions on how they live their lives. It will be authentic so that people can see from their point of view. With this, we can raise awareness on the way these communities live. The content of the book will explicitly be writing from 50 people from the community. A person has one page spread that they can fill with a poem, essay, short story or even doodles as a way to express themselves including description from our editing team explaining the writer’s thoughts and their environment through interview with the writers.The objective: To raise awareness of how this community lives, how we interact with them and their perspective on life.The workshop, led by my team, is to help the community find comfort in writing no matter their experience in writing.To give them a platform to express themselves. 

SK Dato’ Harun 1 is a school situated in Petaling Jaya. There are urban poor learners, some who are orphans, who attend the school amongst the rich PJ community. These students have low confidence, lack English proficiency and communication skills as well as digital skills. Based on our interview with their teacher, Ustaz Faizul Razali, they struggle to share their opinions and thoughts due to their surroundings that do not provide them a safe space to speak English. They feel unmotivated and shy to speak when among their friends who are more eloquent. Due to these issues, they function a few levels below their peers when asked to engage in English, even though they have untapped potentials. Thus, Dr Adelina, our head of project, has created Pearl4PJ, a project that aims to help these students improve their second language acquisition, self confidence, and love for language by providing a safe space for them to acquire the language skills. The volunteers for the project are three B Ed TESL students of Universiti Malaya who are pedagogically trained in teaching and assisting second language learners.  Nearby, is a mosque with a nazir who is interested to assist with the education of these children. The mosque is Masjid Jumhuriyah, Petaling Jaya. The project was provided with a comfortable hall to conduct lessons. Learners explored the art of English language through readers’ theatre, puppetry, games, plays, storytelling and many more. Nevertheless, post pandemic, the volunteers realized that there is a need to add to the skills that were lacking among these urban poor learners. They were digitally illiterate and while learners around the nation worked on improving digital skills for online and hybrid learning, these poor learners are not able to function with basic digital skills.  To add to the necessary skills, the volunteer-teachers started creating activities that marry both English language and digital skills for these poor learners. They often struggle with using the projector that is provided in the mosque. They frequently had to ask the mosque supervisors to set up the projector which is extremely time-consuming and inefficient. In addition, the speaker is non-functional and volunteer-teachers had to use two devices at the same time to ensure the audio is audible. Moreover, when exposing learners to digital literacy, these learners had to share the teachers’ ipad and were unable to fully experience learning at its best. This is where the extended project comes in. Pearly Starfish is an extension of the Pearl4PJ Project, aiming to help these students’ learning needs by exposing them to digital literacy. We believe by helping the students to engage with digital technologies, we are able to provide quality education to the students while increasing their interest in learning English. Thus, having good tools to aid their learning is pertinent to achieve the targeted goals for the students.

The oldest kopitiams in Malaysia often have history tracing back to the early 1900s as the Hainanese Chinese community first migrated to the country. However, due to rising the change in consumer expectations and lack of support from descendants, many traditional kopitiams face the threat of closure or modernization once the aging owners retire. This means the rich history and heritage of traditional kopitiams will be lost, such as its unique atmosphere created from their collection of antique furniture and traditional ways of preparing local cuisine. 

"Let's Go Waste Wise! Zero Waste, Zero Pollution" is a solid waste management project aimed at keeping Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama clean and waste-free. Located in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama is a typical water village with buildings constructed on stilts over the water. The village is home to approximately 3,000 residents, most of whom are from low-income families. Our focus is on the coastal area (as shown in Figure 1), where about 800 villagers reside. This area has been chosen as the project location because the primary waste issue stems from garbage disposal in coastal residential areas (Figure 2). This waste can flow into the ocean, causing pollution and threatening marine life. Additionally, waste from these areas can wash ashore at Tanjung Aru Beach, a popular tourist destination, adversely affecting the tourism industry in Sabah. While there are many water villages in Kota Kinabalu, some are illegal. In contrast, Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama is a legal settlement managed by Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu (DBKK). We believe that working with a legal village will facilitate better cooperation with key partners on this project. Therefore, Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama is an ideal location to launch an awareness campaign on proper solid waste management and the importance of maintaining local cleanliness.Based on a research survey conducted by final-year students in 2024 (Jocelyn, G. J. (2024), the main causes of waste pollution and poor waste management in this area include the direct disposal of rubbish into the sea, bins being full and overflowing, and villagers wanting to recycle but lacking knowledge on how to do so (Figure 3). To address these issues and help local residents achieve a higher quality of life, our project includes several activities, such as awareness talks and community clean-up events. We will assist the villagers by teaching them proper waste management practices, promoting a zero-waste lifestyle, and demonstrating recycling methods. Additionally, we will organize community clean-up events to improve the cleanliness of Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama and encourage residents to take responsibility for their environment. Furthermore, the project includes a Waste2Cash program, where we will collaborate with recycling companies to visit the village and purchase sorted waste from the villagers. This initiative will not only enhance waste management and keep the environment cleaner but also provide an opportunity for villagers to earn money by selling sorted recyclables.Other than that, this activity is also expected to continue even after this campaign ends, and it will encourage the community to keep practicing 3R culture and free environment from waste pollution.  Figure 1. Location of Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama, Sabah which divided into Zone A: Land Area and Zone B: Coastal Area  Figure 2. Current situation at Kampung Tanjung Aru, Sabah Source: Jocelyn, G. J. (2024).Figure 3. Analysis of Factors Contributing to Ineffective Waste Management in Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama Source: Jocelyn, G. J. (2024). 

 As global statistics show, the population of the world is turning into an aged population. Due to this, elderly health has become a top priority in most countries. By 2050, it is estimated that 20% of the world population will be 60-years or older. As a result of this demographic trend, there will be an increase in the need for older adult services, including the need to meaningfully attend to this burgeoning population during the end of life period. Research has shown that music impacts brain function and human behavior, including by reducing stress, pain and symptoms of depression. Music is proven to be helpful in improving cognitive and motor skills, spatial temporal learning and neurogenesis, which is the brain’s ability to produce neurons. Some studies have also shown that actively and passively engaging with music can improve working memory and recognition memory. As older adults are more at risk of neurodegeneration, music is a sort-of way to reduce the risk of disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons and improve mental and physical well being.  Therefore, this project aims to engage with senior citizens through music learning and music activities by publishing suitable learning materials and facilitating a music learning programme that caters to their needs. 

PROJECT BACKGROUNDThe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) state that the promotion and achievement of gender equality has become one of the important global goals for a sustainable future. The goal is to eliminate any form of gender inequality that can cause a huge waste of human potential. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) considers Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE- Comprehensive Sex Education) as a critical driver to achieve gender equality (UNESCO, 2019). CSE is defined as an age-appropriate, culturally relevant approach to teaching about sexuality and relationships by providing scientifically accurate, realistic, and non-judgmental information (UNESCO, 2015). In Malaysia, sexuality education has existed for over a decade. However, many available studies show many challenges that hinder the achievement of gender equality. Recent studies have also shown that an average of 18,000 teenage girls in Malaysia become pregnant each year. Of this number, 25 percent or about 4,500 cases involved pregnancies outside of marriage (The Star, 2022). JUSTIFICATION OF COMMUNITY PROBLEMS/NEEDSGender equality is not only confined to human rights but also important in accelerating sustainable development project progress (United Nations, 2022). According to Johari Talib et. al (2012), comprehensive sex education (CSE) can empower boys and girls to understand and respect their physical differences and make wise choices related to their rights and responsibilities by providing them information that comes with the decision to be together, have children, control over their bodies, and make informed decisions in their lives. CSE is regarded as a tool to foster gender equality and norms, at the same time preventing and eliminating all forms of discrimination that women and girls face. The Malaysian education system has introduced sex education in a limited perspective. Mohd Mutalip and Mohamed (2012), reported that sex education in schools acceptance among adolescents is moderately high and agree to be applied to school subjects where it can curb social problems among young people in the country. Sexual education is still stigmatised in Malaysia, teenagers are observed to have difficulty in finding a safe space to have an open conversation and obtain the proper answers and receive help about sexual and reproductive health. They engage in online activities and are exposed to a lot of sexual content from social media. According to a study conducted by Durex Malaysia (online survey) in the month of April to May in 2022, it is not surprising that 60% of the respondents learned about sex by reading articles, viewing films and videos, while 62% had sex for the first time at age 22 years and under. The same study showed that 40% of young people feel pressured to engage in sexual activity, yet almost half (42%) do not use condoms or other birth control methods, which results in one in every 20 women experiencing an unwanted pregnancy. Concerns related to gender-based violence, sexual harassment, rape, mental health issues and domestic violence are a reflection that gender equality has failed to be achieved at the household level. With the arguments above, this community project intends to dismantle the implementation of sexual education in Mambau, Negeri Sembilan to assist each teen in understanding their own value. OBJECTIVESOur main objective is to achieve gender equality and empower teenage girls and boys to understand and respect their physical differences and make wise choices related to their rights and responsibilities by providing exposure to teenagers regarding gender equality based on scientific information that can encourage them to be responsible, ethical and respectful of others. Our main goal is to eliminate the hyper-sexualization of the word sex and everything related to it. The modules are carefully designed using social media platforms and the use of Virtual Reality (VR) simulation tools to equip teenagers of all ages with the confidence and resilience to make fact-based and scientifically informed decisions about their well-being and boundaries.To create awareness to safeguard children from child marriages and unwanted pregnancies due to lack of knowledge, ultimately, teen pregnancy cases, baby dumping and underaged rape cases will be reduced. Young people, especially girls will be aware of their self-esteem, have the capacity to change social attitudes and norms, and build self-efficacy, which will lead to economic empowerment and development of the society. Helping underprivileged children to have opportunities to learn, gain knowledge about sexual issues and social issues. This platform aims to alleviate the stigma involving women empowerment and sexual education among the underprivileged due to their lack of capacity to receive good quality education and correct information about the topics. 

During our site visit to the village and subsequent discussion with the village leader, it became evident that they frequently encounter issues with leaking water pipes. These leaks pose challenges in distributing water from the storage area to every household in the village. The deterioration of the pipes necessitates their replacement to ensure smooth daily operations for all residents. Consequently, they are compelled to restrict water usage based on a predefined schedule due to these issues. Despite the village head bringing this issue to the attention of the relevant authorities, sadly, no action has been taken and there has been no update on the matter.  

Water sports and recreational activities are often considered challenging for visually impaired individuals due to limitations in spatial awareness, balance, and confidence in aquatic environments. In Malaysia, access to swimming training for this group remains limited, and a lack of exposure to water safety techniques increases the risk of accidents while preventing them from enjoying the physical and psychological benefits of swimming.The "Splash of Confidence Beyond Sight" program was established to bridge this gap by providing inclusive and safe swimming training for visually impaired students. This program not only helps participants develop basic swimming skills but also enhances self-confidence, reliance on other senses, and social interaction in a supportive environment.Furthermore, this initiative promotes inclusive sports participation, aligning with the principles of "sports for all" and government efforts to ensure equality in physical activities for people with disabilities. With guidance from experienced trainers and facilitators, participants receive tailored training approaches that cater to their specific needs, ensuring a positive and beneficial experience. 

This project primarily focuses on environmental protection through the act of planting mangrove seedlings along the coast of Pantai Leka, Parit Jawa.The implementation of this project would help to provide a natural habitat for marine life in the area while preserving the livelihood of the fishermen community. It would also serve as a natural wave breaker and maintain the safety of the residents of Pantai Leka, Parit Raja in case of flash flood, tsunamis or freak storms. To successfully run this program, partnerships between our team with Pejabat Daerah Muar, Pejabat Penghulu Mukim Parit Jawa and the community of Pantai Leka, Parit Jawa, Muar will be formed.