SIXTY underprivileged children from five homes were conferred graduation certificates by Michael’s Badminton Academy (MBA) recently under the MBA-ECM Libra Foundation Hope for Change Badminton Charity Programme.

The Hope for Change Class of 2012 was the second class to graduate from the programme, which was launched in March 2011.

A 10-month badminton training programme by MBA, Hope for Change is designed specifically for underprivileged children with the objective of giving them the opportunity to excel in sports.

The 60 recipients of the Hope for Change 2012 are 60 children from Pure Life Society, Rumah Hope, Rumah Charis, Rumah Kebajikan At-Taqwa and House of Joy.

Michael’s Badminton Academy and Sports Sdn Bhd director Lee Kok Choong congratulated the children for their persistence and commitment in the past 10 months.

“I would also like to extend my gratitude to our sponsor, ECM Libra Foundation, our partners, Leaderonomics, the homes and our coaches for their ongoing support for the programme.

“We are very excited and proud that the programme has been successful since its launch. We envisioned a sustainable programme that provides a platform for underprivileged children to discover their interest and talent on the badminton court.

“We are proud to announce that Hope for Change will commence again in 2013, bigger, better, and more comprehensive to better accommodate and benefit more underprivileged children,” he said.

At the ceremony, MBA also gave out ang pow packets to the students in conjunction with Chinese New Year and certificates of appreciation to caretakers of each participating home.

The children were also entertained with quizzes, games and dance performances.

Apart from badminton training, Hope for Change also incorporates field trips and extracurricular activities for the children with the aim of providing them with a well-rounded holistic training. Last year’s activities included a teambuilding session by Leaderonomics and watching a live badminton tournament.

From: The Star Newspaper
Date: 5 March 2013