By Fachri Mirza Muhammad
GOMBAK, 21 April 2019: A charity Hi-Tea staged on Saturday (20 April) marked the closing of a two-month educational charity project by Communication Internship students which successfully raised almost RM10,000 of which RM3,000 was given in aid of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Islam Kanak-Kanak Kelainan Upaya Malaysia (PI3KUM).
Held at Multipurpose Hall of Kulliyyah of Information and Communication Technology (KICT), the event ended with colourful performances by special kids and IIUM communication students.
The event’s financial controller, Regina Tan, who is also a student of IIUM said: “We raised almost RM10,000 within two months, but we spent roughly RM6,500 for educational sessions held every Friday with PI3KUM and other logistic costs that covered Hi-Tea event operation, including media kits, technical preparations, catering and decorations.”
She added that RM3,000 was set aside for contribution to PI3KUM.
Among the performances displayed were a fashion show and a dance show by special kids, and poem recitals and singing items brought by parents of special kids.
Head of PI3KUM, Haji Ahmad Rasyid, conveyed his deepest appreciations and thanks to the Department of Communication for the success of the project.
In his speech, Ahmad Rasyid shared a brief history of the establishment of PI3KUM. He said as the founder he was inspired by the development and experience in the United Kingdom where his wife was studying there for her PhD, and they both consulted the experts about special needs children.
He asserted that the event brought good impact to the children as it has exposed them to a new paradigm that gave them the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and talents to the public.
Children were given a rare opportunity to be on stage and to be in front of the audience. It also gave a boost to their spirit that they can do what other people can do, he said.
“The project also helps PI3KUM a lot where the children felt special with IIUM students coming to their school. It has promoted PI3KUM to a lot of people, telling them what PI3KUM is all about. People are now aware of PI3KUM’s existence within the society,” he added.
Ahmad Rasyid also hoped that PI3KUM would continue to grow as it will greatly benefit the kids with special needs. For now, the school has 14 children. In the future they hope to be able to accommodate more kids and hire more teachers.
The event received warm participation from the audiences and parents as they watched their kids performing on stage.
Those who want to donate towards PI3KUM are welcome to send their contributions directly to the official account of PI3KUM: 110551001391 (Bank Rakyat) ***