Page 37 - Berita Sunway - Issue 74

Interviews

hirty-year-old Angie Lim may have a learning disability but personnel from Sunway’s different business divisions made a follow-up visit
it has never impeded her ability to run the trade kitchen at to observe the SEP and to discuss how they would be able to lend a hand,”
GOLD, which stands for Generating Opportunities for Learning said Juairiah Johari, GOLD’s co-founder and former senior assistant of the
T Disabilities. special needs class at SMK Bandar Sunway.
As trade kitchen supervisor and head baker, Lim oversees the production Since 2006, Sunway has been collaborating with GOLD and SMK
of cookies to be sold by GOLD, which is the main source of revenue for the Bandar Sunway to organise the Sunway Job Training Programme annually.
social enterprise. Endorsed by the Malaysian Education Ministry’s Education and
Besides assisting and monitoring other GOLD trainees, Lim meets daily Performance Delivery Unit (PADU), the programme provides hands-
production targets, controls the baking stock inventory, and on prevocational and life skills training, simulating working habits with
manages the test kitchen for new cookie production. mentoring from the job coaches within Sunway business divisions.
It was not always easy for Lim, who was timid and Under the programme, GOLD trainees work in areas such as baking
lacked self-confidence when she first joined GOLD in and pastry, office and general housekeeping, culinary kitchen, and ticketing
2011. at Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Lagoon Theme Park
The Sunway Job Training Programme had a role and Sunway Resort. And at Sunway University, they are given three months
to play in helping Lim come out of her shell. Under the of basic patisserie training.
programme, Lim spent three months training under the She said the Sunway Job Training Programme has even been used as
tutelage of Sunway University’s School of Hospitality teaching a benchmark by a Malaysian GLC that started their in-house job training
fellow Ng Wan Cheng or Chef Cheng. She then underwent a three-month programme involving people with learning disabilities.
internship at Sunway Resort’s pastry kitchen.
“With the skills I learned, I am now able to work independently with TEACHING THEM TO FISH
minimal supervision at GOLD. I enjoy being able to go to work like my When GOLD first set up its own centre at Complex 3C MPSJ in
siblings, baking cookies that are needed by others and spending time with Sunway City Kuala Lumpur in 2005, Sunway University’s School of
my friends who work with me,” said Lim. Hospitality raised funds to outfit the rooms with ovens, kitchen cabinets
and baking appliances to be used by trainers, volunteers, and students. Chef
Cheng also trained the GOLD trainees in baking and how to bake one of
GOLD’s specialty cookies.
“These skills elevated GOLD’s ability from baking for personal
consumption to baking for business. It marks the turning point for GOLD
as an NGO becoming a social enterprise,” said Juairiah.
What she appreciates about Sunway’s partnership is that the company
“teaches us to fish and does not give us a fish”.
“Sunway endorses GOLD by making us their priority NGO when it
comes to sourcing for corporate gifts for their business divisions. By purchasing
our products, this helps create job opportunities and skill training for
GOLD to hire more young people with special needs within the community.
Being able to generate income for the business enables us to provide decent
allowances and wages to GOLD trainees,” she said.
In 2015, the ‘Beautiful Minds’ GOLD Art Exhibition was held in
Sunway Pyramid, featuring artwork produced by 12 GOLD members who
trained under Sunway University’s Department of Art & Design for six
months. Their paintings were sold to the public to raise funds for GOLD,
while some art pieces are currently displayed in Sunway Clio Hotel.

NURTURING AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY
GOLD trainees given three months of basic patisserie training Beyond preparing GOLD trainees for future employment, Sunway’s
partnership with GOLD ultimately helps create a more inclusive society in
Malaysia.
BLAZING THE TRAIL In 2018, GOLD collaborated with the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation to
Driven by love and care for children with learning disabilities, a group organise the inaugural Special Education Conference 2018, a platform to
of parents of students with learning disabilities and teachers of SMK Bandar connect, educate and improve collaboration between private sector, NGOs,
Sunway began volunteering their time and resources to strengthen the schools, community, special education experts, children with special needs
school’s Special Education Programme (SEP) for special needs students in and parents.
1998. The two-day conference featured over 20 speakers from Malaysia,
This led to the founding of GOLD in 2000, with the aim of equipping Australia, and the UK, and was attended by around 250 delegates from
learning-disabled students with the prevocational, social, and living skills to Selangor and neighbouring states.
enable independent living and gainful employment. Being able to interact closely with members of GOLD during CSR
In 2006, the strategic CSR partnership between Sunway and GOLD activities allows volunteers to learn more about people with learning
began when Sunway Group deputy executive chairman Tan Sri Datuk Seri disabilities and in doing so, foster empathy and compassion towards those
Razman M. Hashim and Sunway staff visited SMK Bandar Sunway to who are differently abled.
observe the special education class. Kelab Sosial Sunway included and sponsored GOLD members in their
SMK Bandar Sunway, which is one of the conglomerate’s seven adopted yearly staff trips to local tourist attractions such as Taman Negara and Kuala
schools under the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation, has a special education class Selangor, which gave them the opportunity to better understand about people
dedicated for students with special needs. “In the following week, the HR with special needs.
35