When new headmistress K. Nalini arrived at the Ladang Atterton Tamil school in rural Negeri Sembilan August last year, she was surprised by the poor state of the utility room which is being used as the school’s library.
“The school was not built with a proper library. They actually used a utility room to temporarily store the storybooks bought and sponsored by many donors. Because there were very few shelves available, most of the books had to be kept in boxes and placed on the floor.”
She discussed the situation with the school’s previous headmistress who advised her to apply for a grant from the RYTHM Foundation, under its
Gift of Life initiative programme.
Today the SJK(T) Ladang Atterton with its 4 classrooms, has transformed the utility room into a proper mini library with sufficient shelves.
“Now the books are all catalogued and arranged. The pupils will be able to see the book’s title through the glass panels clearly,” said Nalini.
“The teachers are very happy with these shelves. From books having to be placed in boxes to a mini library with proper shelves, it makes a world of difference. We are grateful to RYTHM Foundation for its contributions,” she said.
“The school is still closed because of the lockdown. A total of 17 students will be coming back to school once it reopens and I am sure they will be delighted to see this new set-up. I hope this will also encourage reading habits among them,” she added.
The Foundation’s Gift of Life initiative supports underfunded government schools, orphanages, and welfare institutions for the disabled and disadvantaged.
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Each month, the Foundation identifies a worthy cause, conducts due diligence on it, and recommends it to be a beneficiary of the Gift of Life Programme. The Foundation then further helps with the disbursement of funds and monitors the progress of the funded cause.
If you are aware of a cause or run an organization that may benefit from the Gift of Life Programme, email us your proposals.
