Project Starchild
In Malaysia, there are 23,823 refugee children of school-going age. Only 48 are pursuing higher education. A key obstacle they face is the lack of access to official educational qualifications – many cannot afford the exorbitant fees required. There is a risk of a loss generation of children that will be unable to forge a better life for themselves.
Impact
Project Starchild aimed to improve the refugee and in-need Malaysian students' access to formal educational pathways by creating a scholarship fund that would cover selected students’ IGCSE application fees. A year of planning, liaising with partner schools to better comprehend their specific needs, and preparing proposals and presentation materials for donors, culminated in the award of 48 scholarships (amounting to S$59,500) out of a total of 69 student applicants.
While Project Starchild’s success in funding the students was celebrated among the members, we took away something far greater and more impactful – our interactions with the students. During the rigourous selection process of evaluating the students’ essays and interviewing the students, we looked out for motivated and all-rounded students that also have the heart to give back to the community.
Outstanding Stories
Broad Framework
Project Supported By:
Ideas Academy
Dignity for Children Foundation
British Council