The Nigerian students posing with Professor Inglis (4th left) and heads of department of Curtin Sarawak.
Miri – 30 October 2012 – Nigerian staff and students of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) recently commemorated their country’s 52nd Independence Day with a donation drive in support of the Miri Methodist Children’s Home.
This was the fourth time such a donation drive was organised as part of their Independence Day celebrations. Organised in collaboration with Sarawak Shell, it aimed to garner the support of all Nigerians residing in Miri towards a worthy cause.
More than 30 Nigerian students accompanied by lecturer of marketing and management from the university’s School of Business, Edeseyi Margaret Ekisowei, visited the orphans at the Miri Methodist Children’s Home and presented them with foodstuffs, toiletries, bicycles and toys.
Curtin Sarawak’s Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Alistair Inglis said he was impressed with the Nigerian students for their noble effort. A representative from Sarawak Shell, meanwhile, said he was pleased with the various initiatives taken by Curtin Sarawak’s Nigerian community to give back to the local community and hoped that more donation drives will be carried out again in the future.
One of the students, Omotehinse Becky Damilola, said the time spent with the orphans made the group ponder their aspirations and goals in life.
On their experience in Sarawak, fellow countryman Menakaya Chuma commented that the warm hospitality of Sarawakians has made it easier for international students like them to live and study here. He said they felt compelled to reciprocate the warm hospitality by giving back to the community, and thus the idea for an annual donation drive.
The students presenting their donations at the Miri Methodist Children’s Home.
The Miri Methodist Children’s Home currently accommodates 20 children and is raising funds to relocate to a bigger facility that can give shelter to 100 orphans towards the end of this year. The public is encouraged to contribute cash or in-kind to its building fund.
For more information on Curtin Sarawak, call +60 85 443939 or visit its website at www.curtin.edu.my. Curtin Sarawak can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CurtinUniversitySarawakMalaysia.
