Nothing can stop you from realising your dreams, and Lim Kah Meng (pictured) can testify to that.
The 19-year-old is grateful that his single-minded focus on what he wanted, along with hard work, got him the chance to pursue his college dream.
“Never give up on education… it not only changes your future financial and social status but it also increases your knowledge and confidence,” he said.
A year ago, Lim was sure his father’s unpredictable salary as a taxi driver would not be enough to pay for his college education.
Besides, he has two younger brothers still in school, an elder brother who had to work after Form Five and a stay-at-home mother.
Then, while Lim was performing his National Service stint, his father died from a heart attack.
His late father did not get to see Lim score 10 As in the SPM, and he would also have been pleased and proud to find Lim being awarded a scholarship by the Elena Cooke Education Fund.
Today, Lim is into his ninth month at Sunway College pursuing his CAT (Certified Accounting Technician) studies and doing well too.
This was exactly what he had wanted to do after Form Five, and he will be the first among his brothers to finish college.
Lim is among seven recipients of the Elena Cooke Education Fund scholarships who are still pursuing their tertiary studies.
The Elena Cooke Education Fund is managed by BBGS Alumni Bhd (BAB), a company set up by former students of the Bukit Bintang Girls’ School (BBGS).
BAB currently partners with Sunway College, Sunway University, KBU International College and KDU University College to provide scholarships to underprivileged deserving young Malaysians to enable them to pursue tertiary education.
However, students who apply to other local higher education providers are also eligible to apply for scholarships, as long as they fulfil the minimum criteria, including being below 23 years of age at the time of application and coming from a household with income of not more than RM36,000 per annum.
BBGS was one of the most well-known and highly-regarded schools in Kuala Lumpur, located in Jalan Bukit Bintang, until year 2000 when it was closed and later demolished to make way for the Pavilion shopping mall.
The Elena Cooke Education Fund, established in memory of BBGS’s longest-serving headmistress, the late Elena Maud Cooke, emphasises on giving a helping hand to disadvantaged and financially needy young people, to empower them for life.
The Fund recognises that for poverty-stricken students, with none of the advantages of those in the higher-income families, education is a key factor that can take them out of the cycle of poverty.
Hence, financial neediness is high on the list of criteria that are considered, which also includes academic performance, extra-curricular activities and character.
The Fund is especially keen on aiding young people who are orphans or from single parent families or those who have lived in children’s homes. Two current recipients of scholarships from the Fund are from children’s homes.
For 2015, the Elena Cooke Education Fund scholarships will be open on March 15, 2015 and will close on March 31, 2015.
The application form can be downloaded from www.bbgs.com.my.
Donations to the Elena Cooke Education Fund are welcomed from corporate donors and individuals. They can either write a cheque or do an inter-bank transfer to the bank account of BBGS Alumni Bhd (Maybank Account No: 5141 2316 6380).
Donors should inform BAB via bbgs.elena@gmail.com so that receipts can be issued.