Be a Volunteer, Be an Earth Saver while studying at UCSI University
University life is about more than just studying, it is a great opportunity to get involved in student activities as well as community service. It is undeniable that students benefit greatly from volunteering their time to make the community and the world a better place. Volunteer work offers valuable opportunities for students to develop a variety of useful skills, to understand the community in which they live, and to enhance community life. By being involved in volunteerism, students can strengthen their leadership, problem-solving skills, communication skills, and time management skills. The experience and skills gained not only aid in personal growth but also help them succeed in their future.
Following the MCO and BenderaPutih movements, Sew Cheras was unofficially set up in July 2021, to sew cloth bags for food aid packing to replace plastic bags and plastic non-woven polyester recycle bags using reclaimed cloth and fabric. Sew Cheras is an initiative founded by Chin Wen Yen, a civil engineering student, to reduce landfills and dependence on single-use plastic. Funded through donations, Sew Cheras hired women who lost their jobs due to the MCO to sew the bags, while some were volunteers. To date, Sew Cheras has sewn over 1500 cloth bags, which equates to 1 ton of cloth saved from being thrown into the landfill. Now, they are still sewing!
To add to the disaster-relief collection, Sew Cheras started to sew cloth towels for cleaning household items and lifejackets for pets using leftover fabric from FAP Sewing volunteers. It is important to contain the mud brought by the current from higher places from being washed into the drains and rivers, as it will cause blockage and flood downstream. Therefore, banner mud buckets made from used banners are sewn for clearing mud in places where the tractor cannot access to contain the mud. The bottom of the bucket is designed to drain out the water in the mud. The filled-up mud buckets can either be transferred away from trucks or left at the original place to build walls or barriers. Non-edibles can be planted in the bucket itself too.
Looking at the news of floods happening around Malaysia, around us, which did not recede within days alarmed us the importance of taking care of mother nature. Wen Yen had taken the initiative to take part in volunteer work to help the flood victims by creating bamboo cleansing tools. In some areas where the flood has receded, like Hulu Langat, which is close to Wen Yen’s living place, she saw victims requesting floor wipers to clear the mud and clean the floor with social media in large quantities. However, some commented that the plastic floor wipers do not last long and will snap when cleaning tough dried mud.
Having always been passionate about environmental upcycling and harnessing renewable, sustainable resources, Wen Yen came up with the idea of making cleaning tools from bamboo. Even before MCO, she had initiated bamboo tong/trash pick making for cleanups, inspired by Indonesia’s Trash Hero, and still producing mostly for CSR Beach Clean Ups. This time, the tools took precedence from the Cement Screeding tool and Drain Scoop.
With the help of Ms. Shannen Choi and the UCSI Trust Office bring everyone together, a collaboration between Youth Beyond Boundaries’ Green Up Project, Collab SABE, and MakeLab, was made possible within a short period of time. They managed to produce 180 pieces of basic bamboo tools for Hulu Langat Post Flood Cleaning within 4 days with over 20 UCSI students, mainly from architectural, engineering, and pharmacy courses. The processes and journey were captured and compiled into videos for awareness, education, and recognition of contribution purposes (The video was attached below).
Sew Cheras is currently fundraising RM3000 for the next improved Post Flood Bamboo Tool Making Workshop to empower Orang Asli and youth communities. Meanwhile, Sew Cheras will continue to sew banner mud buckets, which can also be used as heavy-duty laundry baskets, whenever used banners are available within reach and volunteers are available to clean the banners. Wen Yen plans to execute and complete the activities by mid-February to prepare for the next series of YBB’s Green Up Project’s Awareness Talk Series, which started in 2021.