20 July 2024: The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) organized a community knowledge-sharing project on “Empowering Financial and Environmental Literacy” at Rumah Panjang Selepong Lop, Sri Aman.
The University Sustainability Centre (USC), UNIMAS, is funding the project under the name ‘Dana Lestari’. The fund was established in 2021 to ensure that the community’s sustainability agenda is empowered, sustained and enhanced to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aligned with the university’s goals. This also aligns with UNIMAS’ community outreach programme.
The program was officiated by Yang Berhormat Datuk Mong Anak Dagang. In his speech, YB Datuk Mong stressed the importance of acquiring knowledge via education that can improve decision making in solving any problems faced.
YB Datuk Mong praised the effort by the team on the knowledge sharing with the community in personal financial management and waste management and stressed that the communities must have a solid understanding of financial management and promote environmental consciousness, particularly in terms of waste management to preserve sustainability in community growth.
This community project is a continuation from the previous year’s engagement that was successfully organized on knowledge sharing on financial and environmental aspects with the community. There are 20 participants from the community who joined the one-day knowledge sharing sessions, consisting of a wide range of ages, including children.
Among the activities during this one-day program is sharing about the education prospect, university life and some proposed waste management initiatives by undergraduate students, follow-up with community on the financial and waste management practices and exciting personal financial management games.
These innovative activities are essential to ensure continuity engagement with the community in empowering them the knowledge in financial and environmental aspects, as well as promoting education opportunity with the young children.
Tuai rumah Mr Aling Anak Jagak expressed his gratitude and pleasure to the team’s presence in the community, where they shared their financial and environmental expertise over the course of two days. He anticipates participating in their ongoing community outreach initiatives in the near future.
At the end, the participants have a more comprehensive understanding and are able to share their knowledge with others in the community regarding personal finance management, appropriate bookkeeping and environmental awareness in the context of waste management. The participants expressed that they found the knowledge sharing sessions to be both beneficial and enjoyable.
The UNIMAS team consists of Associate Professor Michael Anak Tinggi (Project Advisor), Associate Professor Dr Jerome Kueh Swee Hui (Project Leader), Dr Josephine Yau Tan Hwang, Audrey Liwan, Dr Rosita binti Hamdan, Joanne Shaza Janang, Nora Chung and Hairullizam bin Azemi (Facilitators) and assisted by undergraduate students who are Stephenia Kedoh Justine, Alvin Leod Sediet, Eva Kellycia Samuel, Muhammad Syukri and Saiee Brinda Rajan.