My Starfish Foundation - Old Bikes New Life
<   Back
Funding
 |  0 day Left     |     48 Supporters     |     0 Favourited      

Old Bikes New Life

Helping the Underprivileged Community

Overview The proposed project is to enable underprivileged children in Kampung Bukit Tiu, Machang, and nearby areas to experience the joy of riding and improving their health and fitness. Donating a bike to 100 children from underprivileged families will encourage them to be more active in outdoor activities. Children who cycle can develop a healthy positive habit that is beneficial for children who are not very active and those who cannot sit still. These bicycles are collected from contributors who would like to give away their kids' bike for charity that is still in good condition and reusable. Issue Encouraging children to ride is one way to get kids to be more active. However, not all families can afford to purchase a bike for their kids. Meanwhile, those who can afford to purchase a bike will mostly abandon it when their kids get older, and these bikes will be unused and rusty. Bicycles serve as a valuable means of transportation and empowerment, particularly for individuals and communities facing socioeconomic challenges. This proposal outlines our plan to organize a recycled bicycle donation campaign to aid those in need and positively impact their lives.

avatar
University/College
Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)
RM 2,500.00
Goal: RM 2,500.00
Fund Approved by MSF: RM 5,000.00

Overview of Issue / Background

Overview
The proposed project is to enable underprivileged children in Kampung Bukit Tiu, Machang, and nearby areas to experience the joy of riding and improving their health and fitness. Donating a bike to 100 children from underprivileged families will encourage them to be more active in outdoor activities. Children who cycle can develop a healthy positive habit that is beneficial for children who are not very active and those who cannot sit still. These bicycles are collected from contributors who would like to give away their kids' bike for charity that is still in good condition and reusable. 

Issue
Encouraging children to ride is one way to get kids to be more active. However, not all families can afford to purchase a bike for their kids. Meanwhile, those who can afford to purchase a bike will mostly abandon it when their kids get older, and these bikes will be unused and rusty. 

Bicycles serve as a valuable means of transportation and empowerment, particularly for individuals and communities facing socioeconomic challenges. This proposal outlines our plan to organize a recycled bicycle donation campaign to aid those in need and positively impact their lives.

Project Objectives (Vision & Mission)

Objective: To donate bicycles to individuals in need, focusing on children, thereby improving their access to transportation around their neighborhood/village and promoting physical and mental health.

Mission: To encourage a healthy lifestyle among children from underprivileged families.

Project Details (Activities and Tasks)

Implementation Plan
To execute this initiative successfully, we propose the following steps:

a. Planning and Preparation: Form a dedicated team responsible for overseeing the entire bicycle donation campaign. Define roles, responsibilities, and timelines to ensure a smooth execution.

b. Outreach and Promotion: Launch a comprehensive awareness and outreach campaign using various channels, such as social media, local newspapers, community bulletin boards, and word-of-mouth. Engage local businesses, schools, and organizations to serve as collection points and promote the initiative within their networks.

c. Donation Collection: Set up designated donation collection centers at convenient locations in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Coordinate with volunteers to accept bicycle donations, provide tax receipts if applicable, and ensure proper storage and transportation of the collected bicycles.

d. Refurbishment and Maintenance: Partner with local bicycle repair shops or organizations to refurbish donated bicycles. Develop agreements or contracts outlining the scope of work, quality standards, and timelines for refurbishment.

e. Recipient Selection and Distribution: Collaborate with local charities, community centres, and social service organizations to identify deserving individuals or groups who would greatly benefit from receiving a donated bicycle. Establish a fair and transparent selection process to allocate the bicycles.

f. Community Engagement Events: Organize community workshops and events focused on bicycle safety, maintenance, and skills training. Invite recipients and the wider community to participate and learn. Seek volunteers or partner with local organizations to conduct these programs. 

g. Stage-based Implementation: Divide the bicycle donation campaign into five stages, with each stage lasting one month. Each stage will involve the distribution of 20 bicycles to children from underprivileged families. This stage-based approach will help manage the workflow more efficiently and ensure that the campaign progresses steadily.

Expected Project Result & Outcomes

A cycle for Joy project aims to achieve measurable and achievable outcomes that have a tangible impact on the local community of Kampung Bukit Tiu. The expected results include:

1.    Exercises Cardiovascular Muscles
Cycling is an excellent workout for the large muscles in the legs. When the leg muscles are exercised, the heart rate increases, thereby accelerating the stamina in the body. It exercises the cardiovascular muscles and keeps a check on your child's weight, helping him/her attain the ideal weight.

2.    Relieves Stress
Cycling is an excellent stress buster. Children have a hectic day at school and feel completely drained out in the evenings. A bicycle ride can help them recharge their energy. Being out on their own after a long day in school helps them relieve their stress and make them happier. Worries come down, and they tend to become calmer after their bicycle rides.

3.    Strengthens Emotional Wellness
Cycling boosts confidence in children. It enhances their self-confidence because they now begin to move out independently. They become aware of their body and their surroundings and feel more responsible. It helps them know the world around them and prepares them to get accustomed to their environment. Their confidence helps them in being comfortable when they are out of the home without getting into a zone of fear or helplessness.


4.    Encouraging people to engage with charity. 
Donating to charity feels good and motivates people to practice thoughtful concern for others. In fact, scientific studies show that generosity stimulates dopamine, which creates similar brain activity in the regions connected to the experience of pleasure and reward. 
 

You can leave a comment to support your favourite students' project after you donate for the project.
RM 2,500.00

100% of RM2,500.00 Goal

  48 Supporters
  0 Days Left

Project Information

University name   :   Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK)
Project leader name   :   NURUL ATIKAH BINTI ROSHAN
Instagram link   :   https://instagram.com/oldbikesnewlife?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Project implementation date   :   2023-11-30
Location of project held   :   Kampung Bukit Tiu, Machang, Kelantan
Beneficiary   :   Underprivilege children around Tanah Merah, Kelantan
Number of beneficiaries   :   71

Section I

  1. The project's core aim is to provide bicycles to children in need, enhancing their accessibility within their communities and fostering physical and mental well-being. Through this initiative, we aspire to promote a healthier lifestyle among underprivileged children around Tanh Merah, Kelantan by facilitating reliable and sustainable transportation options.
     
  2. Yes. We have strong cooperation with Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG) representatives from Tanah Merah (En. Tajul)  and full support from  SK Tebing Tinggi ( School Headmaster Mr. Mohd Jailani Bin Abdullah, Senior Assistant Mrs. Normah Binti Mohd Nor and Senior Assistant Student Affairs Mr. Ab Rahman Bin Jusoh)
     
  3. Our project works start when we receive the used bicycle from the donor. Most of our donors from the area of Kota Bharu such as Pengkalan Chepa and Kubang Kerian. They are from the district of  Tanah Merah, too. Then, these bicycles are sent to the workshop for repair by stage. The repaired bicycle will be stored at SK Tebing Tinggi, Tanah Merah. During the big day which is the closing event (30th  November 2023), we hand over these bicycle to the selected underprivileged children around Tanah Merah. 
     
  4. Despite our best efforts, we've faced challenges in getting enough response and a lack of support from the Machang region, our initial target area. We tried everything, from promoting on social media to handing out flyers, but the community's engagement has been lower than expected. 
    Furthermore, we faced challenges due to budget constraint. As we've tried to fix up 100 used bikes, we've run into problems like repair costs that vary for each type of bike (there are small numbers of bikes we received that are in bad condition, resulting in the cost of repairing increased), a lack of bicycle workshops in Tanah Merah, and increased repair costs and supplies of spare parts. Our budget is tight because each bike address costs a different amount, and there aren't many shops in our target area, which makes things even harder. The rising costs of goods have also made it harder for us to pay our bills.
     
  5. We have language barriers because the participant involved is Kelantanase’s child.  The Kelantan accent, characterized by unique phonetic features and local expressions, may pose a language barrier as it differs significantly from standard or widely spoken dialects. This divergence can lead to communication challenges, misunderstandings, and difficulty in comprehension for those unfamiliar with the specific nuances of the Kelantan accent. All of our members are outsiders who are outside Kelantan.
     
  6. Worked well
    Full support from SK Tebing Tinggi, Pejabat Pendidikan Daerah (PPD) Tanah Merah, Police Department of Tanah Merah, and En Tajul from PIBG Tanah Merah for our middle person and networking.  We also grateful to our faculty (Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Business) for their support and for preparing formal letters to important parties that are involved in this project. The teamwork among contributors and the community worked well in the Old Bikes New Life project. The gathering of reusable bicycles from generous donors in urban areas turned out to be successful and met our goal. Collecting donated bikes still in good condition shows the community's voluntary contribution. 
    Due to the rainy season, scheduled trips for site visits have to be postponed and shortened. 


    Didn’t work well
    However, challenges might have arisen regarding the weather in Kelantan in November 2023. Continuous heavy rain due to the monsoon season significantly impacted the arrangement and maintenance of bicycles and the ceremony. The rising water levels in some areas also affected the project implementation and led to a postponement until November 30, 2023. This unfriendly weather condition also made it difficult for children and parents to collect their bicycles during the ceremony.

    Moreover, next is time constraint. Our initial plan during the pitching competition in August 2023 was to propose only 20 bikes, but the panel advised us to increase it to 100. In our second phase of pitching, we proposed a new plan whereby these 100 bikes will be delivered according to five phases starting from November 2023 until April 2024. However, we were informed to complete this program by the end of November 2023. 

    Additionally, transportation challenges became a hurdle for this program. The high transportation cost needed to move bicycles from urban areas on different days was a concern. This was because donors couldn't personally deliver the bicycles. Facing this reality, additional efforts and adjustments to the delivery schedule were made to ensure the smooth running and success of the program. At the same time, our venue has been changed from Machang to Tanah Merah. This results in additional transportation costs.

    Lack of cooperation from Machang community and school. Although, we have approach five school in Machang area but there was no positive response.

     
  7. Old Bikes New Life has brought benefits to approximately 71 recipients from Tanah Merah, along with their families. These children belong to the less fortunate group including Asnaf from less privileged families categorized as B40.

    Donors for this program are from crowdfunding donors and used bicycle donors. Their contribution towards this CSR program helps to give a big impact on achieving our mission. They benefit from this program by giving back to the community. By donating bicycles to them, this program can enhance their accessibility to transportation, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and support their physical and mental well-being. 

    There were about 160 school participants who participated in this program during the closing event. We had organised safety road talk and workshop by our team and the Police Department of Tanah Merah. During the workshop, the student was introduced to important signage of traffic through educational game and was exposed to the consequences of violating traffic rules by police officers. This program has not only addressed their transportation needs but has also opened opportunities to experience joy through activities such as cycling to school, purchasing necessities, and engaging in evening sports. Now, they found a sense of independence and convenience in their daily lives with the existence of the bicycle. 

    The police team of Tanah Merah taking part in this program by giving awareness on safety traffic to school children. This is part of their social responsibility towards the community especially school children. This program benefits the community by encouraging collective efforts to uplift and help the less fortunate. It serves as a reminder that, by coming together, communities can create positive change and provide hope for a brighter future.

     
  8. The Old Bikes New Life program is aimed at creating a lasting positive impact on the recipients from students of SK Tebing Tinggi, Tanah Merah. The long-term effect on the children is cultivating healthy habits among the bicycle recipients. As mentioned, cycling promotes an active and healthy lifestyle, bringing joy, especially to students who spend almost all day learning at school. This habit can be raised early on and help maintain good health into adulthood.

    To ensure sustainability, a monitoring program is necessary to oversee the safety of the provided bicycles and ensure that recipients use them properly to avoid damage and dysfunctions. Additionally, this project creates a sense of responsibility and awareness of the importance of supporting the social economy community which the background of B40 group. 
    Based on the effort and dedication given during the program, the project can be expanded further and provide positive effects to those in need within the community. The future project can be achieved through detailed planning, well-organized scheduling, and long duration. By doing so, the project can contribute to a wider population of well-being less advantage communities and run smoothly. 

Section II

a. i) The Old Bikes New Life is all about bringing and making happiness by offering new experiences to less fortunate children through riding bicycles. When these children get new repaired bikes, it's not just about riding, but it's a chance for them to be social, play with their friends, easily go to school, and even buy necessary items. The joy and fun they get from these activities help decrease the burden and fatigue of walking long distances. For example, students can quickly go back and forth from home to school, making it easier for them to attend extra classes or join after-school activities without feeling tired from walking too much.
The Old Bikes New Life program does not just stop at making kids happy for a short while. It also helps them build a healthy and active lifestyle by riding bikes regularly. This healthy way of living can have a lasting impact on their health if they keep it up. Having a good and healthy life brings joy not just physically but also in how they feel inside. It makes their lives easier and better overall. By encouraging and supporting this active lifestyle, the program aims to help the kids keep these healthy habits growing up, making their lives better and happier in the long run.

a. ii) This project changed our perspective and opened our eyes to the needs and challenges faced by the less fortunate in society. It makes us more aware of the challenges faced by the less fortunate in our society. Engaging with the local community and working together highlighted the fact that even small efforts, such as providing bicycles, can truly make a difference in their lives. This experience taught me about the power of community unity and how the kindness of people, regardless of their background, can bring about change and have an impact on others. 
Moreover, the project raised social awareness and compassion for the community. Through this project, we learned and witnessed how important it is to give and help those in need. Even though the actions taken may seem small, they can bring about significant changes for them. Therefore, this experience taught us to actively participate as a community member to improve the quality of life for others. It's a reminder that every act of kindness, no matter how modest, contributes to creating a more compassionate and supportive community for everyone.
 

b) 

Nur Afiqah Nathasya Binti Saiman
“Grateful for the experience, I'm now confident in my ability to face any challenge and achieve success”

Nurul Atikah Binti Roshan
“Tears come in many ways, including tears of happiness. And this project does it”

Nadhrah Binti Suhaimi
“Simple actions, such as giving a bicycle, can lead to significant positive changes. Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much”

Najwaturr Rahmah Biti Hassan
“This program taught me a lot especially about teamwork, grateful for what we have and    the joy derived from helping underprivileged people”

Pavitra A/P Illanggovan
“The program not only promotes a healthier lifestyle but also contributes to reducing carbon footprints. Kudos to the team for creating an eco-friendly and enjoyable cycling experience!”

Nur Ezati Binti Alias
“Sharing bikes, hearts, smiles, and turning pedals into joy for a family that needed the most for their life”

Muhammad Hazim Bin Aziz
“In the journey of donating bikes to the underprivileged, we discover the true power of teamwork and the joy that comes from working hard to change lives, one pedal at a time”

Divya Radakrishnan 
“After very long time, get back with kids which i always love to do. This project give me back to get back my old memories n cheer up me”
 

Section III

Video

Image Gallery