Did you know that a healthy digestive system is the foundation of daily vitality, indirectly regulating our mood and acting as the control center for our overall well-being? For the marginalized indigenous community, poverty and a severe lack of health literacy have fueled a silent epidemic of non-communicable diseases and late-stage Colorectal Cancer (CRC). To combat this crisis, a dedicated team of medical students from Fakulti Perubatan dan Kesihatan Pertahanan (FPKP), Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, driven by a deep passion for preventative oncology and grassroots public health, is launching Project Senyum dari Perut (SeDaP): Usus Sihat, Komunit Bahagia. This targeted 3-day carnival will transform community health through zero-oil "SeDaP Chef" cooking workshops, interactive gut-health education and vital on-site CRC screenings using iFOBT kits. Rather than offering transactional charity, we are building a sustainable legacy by rewarding educational participation with high-utility daily items at our "SeDaP Stamp Redemption Bazaar" and training local youth to continuously monitor their village's health. Every ringgit you donate goes directly toward essential cancer screening kits, cooking equipment and  community assets. Join us in empowering this village to prevent silent killers and cultivate true happiness from the inside out! 

The existing community library at the Senai Community Centre is currently underutilized and lacks regular public engagement. At present, the space is mainly used once a week for tuition classes, while remaining vacant for most of the time. Although the library has the basic facilities to serve the community, its outdated appearance, limited activities, and lack of an inviting environment have resulted in very low visitor numbers.This project aims to revitalize and beautify the library by creating a more welcoming, functional, and attractive community space. Through interior improvements, environmental enhancement, and better space planning, the library will become a place where children, families, and local residents can read, learn, interact, and participate in community activities. The ultimate goal is to reactivate the library as a vibrant community hub that encourages more people to use and enjoy the space.

Kampung Baru Senai is a Chinese new village in Johor with rich Hakka heritage, community memories, and everyday cultural stories. These stories live in places such as Kong Hay Tong, traditional kuih stalls, the old theatre, SJK(C) Senai Museum, Senai River, and old railway traces.However, many young people who live around these places do not fully understand their meanings. To them, these sites may look ordinary, but behind them are stories of migration, resilience, family values, community support, and cultural spirit.The issue is not that Senai’s culture has disappeared. The issue is that it is no longer being actively communicated across generations. Elder stories, oral histories, and local memories may slowly fade if they are not documented and shared in a way that young people can understand and connect with.寻迹士乃 Loi Ah, Cim Ziak Hi responds to this issue by creating an AI-enabled cultural learning route for young people. The project brings together the Trace Soul AI cultural guide, Trace Pack mission kit, an 8-stop cultural route, site-based activities, Trace Wall reflections, video documentation, a Heritage Zine, and a Cultural Learning Map.Through this experience, participants will not only receive information about Senai, but actively explore, ask questions, listen to stories, complete missions, and reflect on their relationship with local culture. AI is used as a bridge to support intergenerational dialogue, not to replace elders or human connection.We have received RM7,000 grant support through Project for Happiness 2.0, and we are now raising an additional RM3,000 to complete the production and implementation of this project.Your contribution will help us produce learning materials, document community stories, and bring this cultural learning route to young participants. By supporting this project, you are helping preserve Senai’s cultural memory and giving young people a meaningful way to understand, experience, and carry their heritage forward.

Antibiotic misuse remains a significant yet often under-recognised public health issue, particularly in underserved communities such as residents of People’s Housing Projects (PPR). In many Malaysian households, antibiotics are commonly managed without proper guidance, where individuals may stop antibiotics once they feel better, reuse old prescriptions, share medicines with others, or take incorrect doses. While these practices may seem harmless, they carry substantial health risks. Evidence shows that self-medication and inappropriate antibiotic use remain prevalent, with many individuals lacking adequate understanding of proper medication use and its consequences. This contributes to treatment failure, adverse drug reactions, and the growing burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In Malaysia, AMR is an increasing public health concern, reflected in rising resistance rates in common infections. The Malaysian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (MyAP-AMR) 2022–2026 highlights the need to improve public awareness and understanding of AMR, particularly in high-density, lower-income communities where health literacy gaps and limited access to personalised counselling persist. Despite ongoing health campaigns, most interventions remain passive and often fail to translate into sustained behaviour change.The MedWise Community Project aims to bridge this gap through a structured, interactive, and participant-centred intervention. Moving beyond traditional one-way education, the project adopts a station-based approach that integrates health screening, medication review, interactive learning, and personalised planning. By starting with the medications participants already use at home, the project identifies real-life risks and provides tailored counselling that is directly relevant to each individual. Participants are guided to better understand what their medications, especially antibiotics, are for, how to use them correctly, and what practices to avoid, while also gaining insight into important concepts such as antibiotic resistance. Through practical tools like medication charts and direct engagement with facilitators, the project empowers individuals to translate knowledge into daily practice, thereby improving medication adherence, safety, and overall health outcomes.Support from My Starfish Foundation and the public is essential to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of this initiative. Their support enables the project to reach underserved communities, provide necessary resources such as screening equipment, educational materials, and medication management tools, and deliver a high-quality, impactful intervention. Beyond immediate benefits, this project contributes to broader public health goals by supporting preventive care, reducing medication-related harm, and aligning with national efforts such as the MyAP-AMR strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance. At the same time, it fosters the development of future healthcare professionals by providing hands-on experience in community engagement and patient-centred care. With strong support, the MedWise Community Project has the potential to create meaningful, lasting improvements in medication safety and transform medication use from a routine habit into an informed, safe, and responsible practice. 

Most senior citizens at Holy Family Residence for Senior Citizens, Papar, rarely receive visitors and they typically feel lonely and their grooming needs tend to be overlooked which further make them feel more isolated and neglected. Hence, this project aims to provide grooming services such as manicure, pedicure and massages conducted by cosmetology students while engaging in warm conversation with them along with some social activities namely karaoke singalong and social dance. With Malaysia is quickly becoming an ageing nation, it is crucial for My Starfish Foundation to advocate for initiatives that support aged population and for the public to play their part to improve our care towards our elderly.

During a community volunteer program, I was in charge of doing a cognitive test to the participants from public. There, I met a 93-year-old grandmother. Even though, after the test, she was tested to have dementia, but throughout the test, she wasn't talking anything about her memory or her health. Instead, she kept repeating four simple, yet heartbreaking words: "I miss my grandchild". What if "I miss my grandchild" was not just her, but the others as well? It is sad to say that, more than 54% of our elderly have absolutely no intergenerational exchange with children. When they are socially isolated, they can face an 88% higher risk of developing muscle loss, and a 50% higher risk of dementia.  Sometimes, what keeps a person alive inside is not medicine, but being remembered by someone who chooses to show up. Stronger Intergen is a continuous intergenerational hub that brings university students and elderly together to turn “I miss my grandchild” into “Someone is here with me.”

The Bario Highlands, an isolated plateau in the northern interior of Sarawak, is home to the Kelabit community. Despite its cultural significance, the region’s extreme geographical isolation—accessible only by light aircraft or a 10-hour trek via logging roads—has led to significant developmental gaps.Currently, the community faces limited logistical support, resulting in a lack of basic road safety infrastructure and inadequate waste management systems. Furthermore, the "youth-drain" to urban centers has left behind a vulnerable aging population at locations such as Rumah Panjang Ulung Palang, who struggle with limited access to consistent healthcare and essential mobility aids. This project is established to bridge these gaps through a multi-sectoral approach, addressing safety, environmental sustainability, health, and education.  The purpose of this project is to implement a holistic community intervention that addresses the immediate and systemic challenges faced by the residents of Bario.By integrating infrastructure development with social welfare, the project aims to:Enhance Public Safety: Mitigate the risks of road accidents along the 2KM stretch through the installation of professional road signage, addressing the limited road visibility often experienced during the monsoon season.Strengthen Social Safety Nets: Provide a dedicated Food Bank and voluntary equipment contributions to PWDs and senior citizens, directly alleviating the burdens caused by limited financial resources and physical isolation.Empower Future Generations: Deliver targeted educational aid and health screenings to ensure that, despite limited access to urban facilities, the Bario community maintains a high standard of health and academic potential.

Vinyl of Nusantara 2026 (VON 2026) is a community-driven cultural initiative organised by Pemuzik Tradisional (PETRA) UTP that aims to address the growing disconnection between Malaysian youth and traditional cultural heritage, particularly traditional music and Baba Nyonya heritage. Although many young people appreciate the importance of preserving culture, meaningful participation and engagement remain low due to limited exposure and the perception that traditional cultural activities are outdated or less relatable to modern youth.This project is important because culture and unity are essential parts of Malaysia’s identity. Without engaging and accessible platforms, younger generations may gradually lose connection with traditional heritage, cultural values, and intercultural understanding. VON 2026 addresses this issue by transforming traditional culture into a modern and immersive experience through a combination of cultural immersion activities, interactive exhibitions, and a musical theatre performance inspired by Baba Nyonya heritage and the theme of unity (Perpaduan).The project includes a Melaka Cultural Immersion Trip, Cultural Showcase Booths at UTP, Cultural Art & Wellness Workshops, and a full-scale musical theatre performance at Chancellor Hall. These activities provide students, international participants, staff, and the public with opportunities to experience culture in a more engaging, emotional, and interactive way rather than through passive learning alone.VON 2026 benefits the community by:Promoting appreciation and preservation of Malaysian cultural heritage.Strengthening unity and intercultural understanding among students and the wider community.Supporting local heritage practitioners and cultural organisations through collaboration and cultural engagement.Encouraging active participation in arts and culture through experiential learning.Increasing awareness of Baba Nyonya heritage and Melaka’s cultural tourism potential.Support from My Starfish Foundation and the public is important because it enables the project to create wider cultural impact and reach more communities. Funding and support will help provide accessible cultural programmes, strengthen collaboration with heritage communities, and ensure that traditional culture continues to be appreciated and preserved among future generations in a meaningful and sustainable way.

In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the Chow Kit community is home to many children growing up in vulnerable and high-risk environments. Many of them come from low-income, marginalized, and undocumented families, where financial instability and limited access to essential services shape their daily lives. Because of these circumstances, consistent healthcare, proper nutrition, and early health education are often not accessible. Preventive healthcare is especially limited, leading many families to seek medical attention only when illnesses have already become severe. Over time, this has created a pattern where healthcare is largely reactive instead of preventive, with health issues being addressed only after they have progressed. This lack of early intervention and health awareness contributes to a range of ongoing health and social challenges among children and adolescents in the area. Issues such as poor hygiene practices, untreated medical conditions, and limited understanding of personal health and safety remain common. At the same time, exposure to social risks, including substance abuse, neglect, exploitation, and unsafe living conditions, further increases their vulnerability. Without proper access to health education and preventive care, these challenges often extend into later life and affect overall physical, emotional, and social well-being.