While the recent floods destroyed the personal belongings of some children, many others have grown up never experiencing the joy of receiving a present – let alone one carefully wrapped and chosen especially for them.
Moved by the sadness of this situation, a group of volunteers led by mechanical engineering lecturer Lee Ching Hao launched the “Gift of Light” project so these children could also experience the joy of Christmas.
Collaborating with the Clean Technology Impact Lab at Taylor’s University, Zero Waste Earth Store (ZWES) and Mercy Malaysia, 322 pre-loved toys were collected, all donated by members of the public.
“These toys were then distributed to selected welfare homes, including Persatuan Insan Istimewa Cheras Selangor and Pertubuhan Kebajikan Kanak-kanak dan OKU Selangor, as well as sent to flood victims such as those in Kelantan,” Lee told FMT.
Rather than purchasing new toys, Lee said supporting environmental sustainability by reusing old toys was more important.
“Buying new items may be more convenient, but it harms the planet as every purchase involves production processes that consume natural resources,” he said, adding that the inaugural project began in early November.
This principle also fuelled Lee’s endeavour after the pandemic, when he collected nearly 95 kg of used face masks for research purposes and ethical disposal.
For the “Gift of Light” project, donated toys were collected, cleaned and carefully packaged before distribution, ensuring they were safe for the kids to use.
ZWES, a social enterprise that promotes sustainable living, served as the main collection point for the public’s donations.
Its founders, Jaclynn Wong and Janira Kumari, said every item they received was put through stringent quality checks. Items in good condition were approved for donation. Those that weren’t were recycled.
“If Lee is the ‘Santa’, then we are the ‘elves’. We sorted the items according to various categories: toys, stationery, plush toys, bags and board games.
“The message we want to convey is not just about the giving, but about reusing items so they don’t end up in already overcrowded landfills,” Janira said.
Noting the tendency for people today to shop based on wants rather than needs, Janira is pushing for more people to adopt a zero-waste lifestyle based on the principles of “rethink, repurpose, recycle and rot” (compost).
Meanwhile, Mercy Malaysia, which assisted with the distribution of the gifts, welcomed the initiative, describing it as an effort that strengthened its humanitarian programmes under the Child-Friendly Activities framework.
According to deputy executive director Hafiz Amirrol, the donations have helped support operations at temporary evacuation centres in flood-affected states, enabling better care and support for children in crisis situations.
He added that the project also helped create a safe and enjoyable environment for affected children, ensuring their needs were prioritised while they received emotional and practical support.