AHMAD FAIRUZ OTHMAN
JOHOR BARU: In the past, Emilia Khaisara Eko would let her parents choose her school bag, shoes and other necessities before the start of each new school term.
But not this year. The 8-year-old could not be happier when she was invited to select a school bag to her liking, which features characters from her favourite animated movie, Frozen.
Emilia was not the only gleeful Orang Asli child with her own handpicked school supplies here. She was one of 90 pupils from SK Kampung Simpang Arang, Gelang Patah who were treated to a 'Back to School' shopping spree at Giant Hypermarket in Tampoi, courtesy of Forest City's master developer, Country Garden Pacificview Sdn Bhd (CGPV).
Fifty volunteers comprising management and staff from Country Garden Pacificview, the Phoenix Hotel and the Forest City Golf Hotel treated Emilia and her schoolmates, aged 7 to 12, to various school items.
Each volunteer was allocated RM300 to spend on each child, who went home with two pairs of school uniforms, two pairs of socks, a pair of shoes, a school bag, a stationery set, underwear and other essentials.
"For the first time, I chose a school bag that I liked and it has the Frozen movie characters on it. My parents would usually buy my school items for me. But this year, it is nice for someone to treat me to a new school bag, uniforms and shoes," said Emilia, whose ambition is to become a doctor.
Another SK Kampung Simpang Arang pupil, Mohd Nur Iman Adam, 10, said he was grateful that Country Garden Pacificview was helping him buy school supplies.
"My father would normally do the shopping for my school uniforms and other items. This year, I could select the uniforms myself. I am thankful that someone helped me buy my school items. It means a lot to me," said Iman, who is the eldest of four siblings and wants to become a policeman one day.
But the treats were not limited to Giant Hypermarket, as Iman and his schoolmates were also treated to lunch after their shopping excursion.
Country Garden Pacificview corporate communications director Aeron Munajat said the 90 pupils come from low-income families, and the Back to School programme is intended to alleviate their families' financial burden as they prepare for the new school term.
"The programme also allows volunteers to interact with the local community, giving them exposure to the lives of the indigenous people.
"We do not want the local folk to feel left out due to the development around their village," she said.
Aeron added that it was an eye-opening experience for some volunteers who were employees from China.
"Forest City cultivates cultural integration at its workplace. The programme enables the staff to learn more about the culture of another ethnic group, and to interact with them in spite of the communication barrier," said Aeron.
Chen Hao, 27, who is an assistant legal advisor at Country Garden Pacificview's legal department, was among the volunteers who overcame the language barrier to communicate with the Orang Asli children.
"We did not speak the same language, but the children and I found ways to communicate through body or sign language. The children would point at something they wanted to buy for school, (for instance).
"It is my first time meeting Orang Asli children, and I find that they are as bright and bubbly as any other child I know," said Chen, who has been working at Forest City in Johor for the past two years.
Country Garden Pacificview plans to adopt SK Kampung Simpang Arang next year, making it an addition to the five primary schools it has adopted since 2015.
The five primary schools are SK Morni Pok, SK Tanjung Adang, SK Tiram Duku, SK Tanjung Kupang and SK Pendas Laut.
Besides youth development and education, Forest City focuses on two other pillars, namely societal development and environmental awareness.