Kuala Lumpur, 1 July 2011 – R.A.R.E (Reinforcing Attitudes, Respect Environments) made out of final year Advertising and Mass Communication students from IACT College, organized and executed a 2 days 1 night camp at Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), titled Camp Respect. The camp was arranged for twenty selected children from Pusat Jagaan Kanak-Kanak Sayang, Petaling Jaya, following the theme of environmental preservation.
The R.A.R.E team went to FRIM with the children from Pusat Jagaan Kanak-Kanak Sayang to expose them to various activities such as nature walks, team building games and a colouring contest. Besides teaching the children the importance of Mother Nature and her wonders, the children were also taught the 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle). No disposable paper plates, cups or cutleries were used during meal times, instead hard plastic plates and cutleries were given to the children (who also brought them back home to be used on a regular basis). The children were also encouraged to wash-up after themselves after eating; this was to help elicit some sense of independence and responsibility.
Camp Respect was organised as part of their corporate social responsibility project to able students to get a hands on experience to how events are planned and conducted.
"I believe it’s essential that students understand and partake in honing their skills in communication and public relations (PR), and as a result, this prepares them once they have moved out in to the working world,” quoted Ms. Suhana Kadir, lecturer and CEO to R.A.R.E.
“I found this experience very valuable to my education. Not only am I learning in theory, but IACT has given me a chance to learn CSR from a practical aspect,” says Shaun Yap, the Organising Chairman to R.A.R.E and student of IACT.
The children of Pusat Jagaan Kanak-Kanak Sayang enjoyed themselves so much, found it difficult to leave the premises of the camp. Having asked if they would like to have any camp, they ecstatically responded with a loud, "YES!"
At the end of the camp, they were given souvenirs of their time at Camp Respect. But besides going home with gifts, they also went home with precious new outlooks at the environment and also the importance of conserving and preserving the ecosystem.
