Kuala Lumpur, 8 December 2010 - The launching of Parkson Cares Educare 2010 was officiated by Lion-Parkson Foundation Chairman, Puan Sri Chelsia Cheng and Chief High Priest of Malaysia, Venerable B. Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera at Parkson OUG on Saturday, 4 December 2010. This is the 10th consecutive year Educare is jointly organized by Siri Jayanti Association and Yayasan Maha Karuna together with Parkson Corporation Sdn Bhd and Lion-Parkson Foundation.
Educare was started in 2001 by Venerable B. Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera to help needy school children. It is an annual charitable project whereby essential school items such as school uniforms, bags, shoes, stationeries and exercise books are distributed to needy school children in Malaysia. All deserving school children are eligible to become recipients. The selection of recipients is done by the teachers of the respective schools. Over the last 9 years, Educare has benefited 32,900 needy students by providing them with school-going necessities donated by various businesses, NGOs, foundations, religious organisations, devotees and well-wishers. 8,000 needy students from 300 government schools, orphanages and NGOs will be presented with these educational items in 2010. Parkson Corporation is assisting the Educare programme by providing collection bins at its stores for the public and well-wishers to deposit their contributions of such items.
In her speech at the launching of Educare 2010, Puan Sri Chelsia Cheng said, “Educare, in helping to equip needy students with essential school items, gives encouragement for them to do well, and the public’s kind contribution and act of caring will go a long way to help these students in the pursuit of education. Children of today are the leaders of tomorrow; giving them a good start with a strong grounding in education will equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills to perform and do well in life. With education being the catalyst for change and improvement, it will also lessen society’s ills and lead to a stronger nation.”
Educare will not only reduce the financial burden of parents to purchase essential school items for their children for the coming new school term but will also bring hope to many families. At the launching ceremony, Hwa Tai Industries Bhd presented a cheque for RM10,000 to Venerable B. Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera for the Educare programme.
For further information, please contact Ms Quah Le Ching, Corporate Communications Department at tel no. 03-21420155 ext 2505 or fax no. 03-21428409.
|
|
From left to right: Hwa Tai Group Chief Executive Director, Mr Airique Soo; Chief High Priest of Malaysia, Ven B Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera; Lion-Parkson Foundation Chairman, Puan Sri Chelsia Cheng; Lion-Parkson Foundation Trustee, Dr Chua Siew Kiat and Parkson Corporation General Manager-Operations, Mr Loh Chai Hoon with their donations of school items to be placed in the donation box.