CapitaMalls Asia and CapitaMalls Malaysia Trust donate RM150,000 to 600 underprivileged children in Malaysia, with funding from CapitaLand Hope Foundation
Signature annual My Schoolbag CSR programme expands to Malaysia for the first time
Kuala Lumpur, 14 December 2011 – CapitaMalls Asia Limited (SGX: JS8 and HKEx: 6813) and CapitaMalls Malaysia REIT Management Sdn. Bhd. (CMRM), the manager of CapitaMalls Malaysia Trust (CMMT), are pleased to announce today that they are donating RM150,000 (S$61,250 / HK$368,884) to 600 underprivileged children in Malaysia in the first run of the “My Schoolbag” programme in the country. This programme is made possible with funding from CapitaLand Hope Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CapitaLand.
My Schoolbag is CapitaMalls Asia’s (CMA) signature annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, where schoolbags containing school and daily necessities are given to underprivileged children. This programme is extended to Malaysia, Japan and India for the first time this year, expanding CMA’s community outreach to children in all the five markets that it operates in.
The 600 children are from 25 charity homes – four in Kuala Lumpur, 11 in Selangor and 10 in Penang. These are mainly shelter homes for orphans and abandoned or abused children, which undertake the children’s daily cost of living.
The children are visiting the CMA and CMMT malls near their charity homes for a half-day programme: namely Gurney Plaza and Queensbay Mall in Penang, Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur and The Mines in Selangor. My Schoolbag was held at The Mines and Gurney Plaza today, and will be held at Sungei Wang Plaza tomorrow and at Queensbay Mall on 19 December 2011.
Each of the 600 underprivileged children is receiving school necessities including a new schoolbag, stationery and school shoes worth a total of RM200 (S$82 / HK$492). In addition, they are being treated to lunch as well as games and activities. Over 100 CMA staff volunteers are accompanying the children at the malls.
Ms Sharon Lim, CEO of CMRM, said, “CapitaMalls Malaysia Trust is pleased to partner CapitaMalls Asia to roll out its My Schoolbag signature annual corporate social responsibility programme in Malaysia. The programme will provide underprivileged children starting their first year in primary schools with their school necessities, giving the next generation the headstart in 2 school that they need. As an integral part of their communities, our malls are proud to be able to give back to the communities that they serve.”
“My Schoolbag is the third and biggest programme for the benefit of underprivileged children carried out by CapitaMalls Asia and CapitaMalls Malaysia Trust this year. Together with our two earlier programmes, “My Home Sweet Home” in July and “Rainbow Project” in August, we are pleased to donate a total of up to RM250,000 (S$102,083 / HK$614,807) to charity in Malaysia this year, with funding from CapitaLand Hope Foundation.”
Please refer to Annex 1 for the list of beneficiary homes participating in My Schoolbag in Malaysia, and Annex 2 for more information about My Schoolbag and CMA and CMMT’s other CSR initiatives in Malaysia in 2011.
Annex 1
List of beneficiary homes participating in My Schoolbag in Malaysia
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Annex 2
Background of My Schoolbag
As the leading shopping mall developer, owner and manager in Asia with malls in Singapore, China, Malaysia, Japan and India, CapitaMalls Asia is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen and giving back to the communities that it operates in.
My Schoolbag is CapitaMalls Asia’s signature annual CSR programme, under which the company donates schoolbags containing school and daily necessities to underprivileged children.
Following the success of its “Back to School” event in Singapore in June 2009, CapitaMalls Asia rebranded the programme as My Schoolbag from 2010 and widened its reach significantly. From 200 children in Singapore in 2009, it expanded My Schoolbag to benefit more than 11,000 underprivileged children in both Singapore and China in 2010, with a total donation of S$320,000 (HK$1.9 million / RM783,680) from CapitaMalls Asia. This was made possible with funding of S$300,000 (HK$1.8 million/ RM734,700) from CapitaLand Hope Foundation, the philanthropic arm of CapitaLand.
In 2011, CapitaMalls Asia is expanding My Schoolbag to Malaysia, Japan and India. It is donating more than S$500,000 (HK$3.0 million / RM1.2 million) in total to nearly 19,000 underprivileged children in the three countries as well as Singapore and China, with funding from CapitaLand Hope Foundation.
Background of My Home Sweet Home
The aim of this programme was to donate money to refurbish roofs and re-tile and construct new washrooms for three charity homes – Yayasan Sunbeams Home in Cheras, Ozanam Home in Petaling Jaya and The Children Protection Society in Penang. About 100 CMA and CMRM staff also volunteered to help paint walls and murals at the homes. The total donation to the three charity homes was RM62,750 (S$25,623 / HK$154,316).
Background of Rainbow Project
The aim of this fundraising drive is to raise up to RM100,000 (S$40,833 / HK$245,923) for two homes under the Budimas Charitable Foundation, namely the Persatuan Kebajikan Darul Najjah in Kuala Lumpur and Persatuan Kebajikan Anak-Anak Yatim Islam Perempuan in Penang. The fundraising drive targets to raise RM50,000 (S$20,417 / HK$122,961) through donations from the public in three malls – Gurney Plaza in Penang, Sungei Wang Plaza in Kuala Lumpur and The Mines in Selangor. CapitaLand Hope Foundation will match the funds donated by the public ringgit-for-ringgit up to RM50,000. Funds raised will be used to provide food and shelter for 60 children at the two homes.