Professor Janet Gregory presenting the mock cheque to David Kiu (fifth right) of Habitat Kuching, witnessed by deans and heads of department Swinburne Sarawak and directors of Habitat’s chapters state-wide.
KUCHING: Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus recently donated RM25,000 in aid of Habitat of Humanity Kuching Affiliate (Habitat Kuching) homebuilding projects.
The mock cheque was presented by Professor Janet Gregory, deputy vice-chancellor and chief executive officer of Swinburne Sarawak, to Habitat Kuching President David Kiu Kee Tze.
This is the second time Swinburne Sarawak contributed to Habitat Kuching.
Last year, the university and Habitat Kuching signed a memorandum of agreement (MoU) to cooperate in the delivery of the university’s Social Innovation Internship subject.
Under the MoU, both parties will collaborate on designing and undertaking activities that would facilitate meaningful learning on social enterprise and community work.
Students will also have the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with volunteers to build simple, decent homes for families in need of better housing while also gaining knowledge on the administration of an international NGO such as Habitat for Humanity.
In her address, Gregory said that the collaboration with Habitat demonstrates Swinburne Sarawak’s commitment to giving students real-world learning while providing assistance to the less fortunate members of society.
“The students who take up the Social Innovation Internship unit are exposed to the needs of the community. Social projects such as these make a difference to the people we do it for and to students who are involved,” Gregory stressed.
“The university hopes this partnership will thrive in the coming years and I applaud Habitat Kuching for the good work that they are doing to the community around us,” she said.
According to Dr George Ngui, a senior lecturer and coordinator for Social Innovation Internship, a total of 65 students from both Swinburne’s Sarawak and Melbourne campuses took up the subject this year.
“Each student contributes an average of 32 hours over the last three weeks to help build a house at Siburan, in the outskirt of Kuching,” he said, adding that the students also worked on a group project that involves analysing and preparing recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of Habitat Kuching.
Habitat for Humanity Kuching Affiliate was established in 1999 and has helped build 190 homes.
Habitat for Humanity International is a global non-profit housing organisation established in 1976 which strives to eliminate inadequate housing. Since its inception, it has served more than 500,000 families in communities all over the world.
Present at the handing-over of the mock cheque were Chiew Chung Yee and Angelina Tong from Habitat Kuching and several other directors from various Habitat for Humanity chapters.
Swinburne Sarawak’s deans of faculties, heads of departments of the university, lecturers and students were also present.