Support a Project

SK Dato’ Harun 1 in Petaling Jaya serves primarily urban poor, orphaned, and B40 students who face challenges in English proficiency, confidence, and communication. PEARL, an initiative led by Dr. Adelina with TESL-trained volunteers from Universiti Malaya, supports these students by creating a safe space for English learning through interactive activities such as theatre, puppetry, and storytelling. Classes take place in the comfortable hall of Masjid Jumhuriyah, facilitated by the mosque's Nazir.Post-pandemic, volunteers recognized the need for students to improve science literacy in English due to curriculum changes, as they were accustomed to learning science in Bahasa Melayu. To address this, Pearl and Beyond was created, expanding on past projects like Pearl4PJ, Pearly Starfish, and Auction-a-Pearl. This program aims to boost both science literacy and English proficiency through project-based learning and ICT, preparing students for future academic challenges in science and tertiary education. 

Malaysia's rich diversity can sometimes lead to social tensions, with stereotypes and prejudice arising from a lack of cultural understanding. These issues, if ignored, can create divisions and cause conflict.The 'Harmony in Humanity' project seeks to address these challenges by promoting respect, teamwork, and cultural awareness. Through fun events and activities, the project encourages collaboration between different communities to reduce prejudice and build a more united society.Support from the My Starfish Foundation and the public is key to making this project a success. Resources and funding are needed to reach and engage communities across Malaysia.

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). 

Splash of Confidence Beyond Sight" is a program designed to empower visually impaired students by teaching essential water safety and basic swimming. Swimming is among the most important abilities for daily life and recreational activities. Various challenges in acquiring swimming ability for the visual impaired person. Encourage to priotize goal setting as a means of self-improvement. 

The SPCA KK Rehabilitation and Adoption Centre in Papar, Sabah, currently cares for 249 dogs, aged between one and six years, often exceeding its capacity. The lack of mental stimulation and interactive spaces has led to boredom, anxiety, and behavioral problems in many dogs, particularly those who have stayed long-term. Limited staff-to-animal ratios further restrict the ability to provide individualized care, making it harder for the dogs to adapt and find permanent homes—only 55 adoptions occurred between January and September 2024. To address these challenges, the project will introduce DIY dog playground equipment to provide much-needed enrichment. The playground will be open to public visitors for free each evening, allowing them to interact and bond with the dogs in a fun environment. By documenting the dogs' progress and sharing their training journeys on social media, combined with encouraging toy donations and volunteer involvement, the project aims to reduce anxiety, improve mental stimulation, and create stronger connections with potential adopters, ultimately increasing adoption rates and relieving overcrowding.

 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.