Dato Sri Vijay Eswaran, Founder QI Group and Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran, Chairperson RYTHM Foundation with the Ranau folks.
KIULU (Feb 5): RYTHM Foundation, the award-winning social impact arm of international conglomerate QI Group, recently concluded its inaugural Community Adoption Programme in Sabah (CAP Sabah), which focused on educational advancement, economic empowerment and overall community development.
This milestone was reached over the project’s three-year duration through several initiatives in the adopted villages of Kampung Lokub, Kampung Talantang and Kampung Ratau, located in the subdistrict of Kiulu.
A partnership with local NGO Good Shepherd Services (GSS), CAP Sabah focused on three main components: providing academic support to primary school children, guiding youths in establishing eco-tourism ventures, and empowering women to operate micro-enterprises. The initiatives under CAP Sabah not only resulted in significant improvements within the targeted communities but also had a positive ripple effect on nearby communities.
Since its establishment in 2021, CAP Sabah has benefitted 165 individuals, especially 100 children who have experienced significant academic progress since joining the tuition classes. The students also included children from the neighbouring villages of Tapatau Linasadan, Sinansag, Sinopukan, Rungus Panansawa and Gayaratau.
The youth and women empowerment initiatives have also produced remarkable outcomes. Twenty-one young entrepreneurs and 23 women are now actively engaged in hiking trails, farming, and food ventures following their training through CAP Sabah’s Youth Connect Circle (YCC) and Women in Small Enterprises (WISE) elements, respectively.
In her heartfelt message, the chairperson of RYTHM Foundation, Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran, emphasised that its CAP initiatives empower local communities to be self-sufficient and self-funded to ensure a lasting impact. She also mentioned the Foundation’s approach of respecting the agency of Indigenous communities as they are the experts in natural resources.
“We want Indigenous communities to take pride in their way of life, and also explore ways to economically benefit from preserving the natural resources they are blessed with,” she said.
She also attributed CAP Sabah’s success to the beneficiaries, who are eager to create a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
“The true heroes of CAP Sabah are the highly dedicated villagers reaping the fruits of their labour. They have inspired us to continue raising ourselves to keep serving underprivileged and Indigenous communities, in line with our RYTHM mantra, ‘Raise Yourself to Help Mankind.’”
“GSS will ensure the continuity of the initiatives in these villages through capacity building programmes, business plans and various entrepreneurship training sessions,” Datuk Petrus Gimbad, a member of the GSS board of directors, said during the project’s closing ceremony in Kampung Lokub on Saturday.
During his speech, the State Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Environment, Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, expressed his hope that CAP Sabah’s achievements would inspire and facilitate the expansion of similar projects beyond the beneficiary villages.
“CAP Sabah has shown what is achievable through unity and collaboration. Let us continue to work together for even greater success and replicate this model to benefit more communities in the future,” Joniston noted.
RYTHM Foundation eagerly anticipates a future where the accomplishments celebrated in Sabah become a model for empowering marginalised communities globally. The Foundation remains steadfast in its commitment to establishing partnerships with local organisations like GSS, is deeply embedded in local communities and is devoted to fostering sustainable change from within.
Its call to action for 2024, #RiseWithRYTHM, emphasises the importance of inclusivity and equality, engaging community changemakers and fostering long-term partnerships to achieve United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
Also present at the event were the Founder and Executive Chairman of the QI Group of Companies, Dato’ Sri Vijay Eswaran, members of the Board of Directors of QI Group, the Head of RYTHM Foundation, Santhi Periasamy, and the Executive Director of GSS, Dr Janie Liew.