KUCHING: A three-day charity bazaar is being held at the alfresco area of the Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus here.
The event, which runs from Monday (April 28) until Wednesday (April 30), features 35 booths, five more than originally planned, thanks to overwhelming interest from vendors.
“In the beginning, we aimed for 30 stalls, but the requests just kept on coming,” said Ivan Bong Kuan Wei, 21, who heads its Generations Swinburne club which organised the event.
He is leading the event together with the club’s business development officer Bong Xin Ting,19, marking its very first charity initiative since its formation this semester.
“We spent many late nights surveying the area, finding ways to fit everyone in and in the end, we’re proud that we managed to add more and raise an extra RM1,000 plus for charity”, Ivan said.
He said Generations Swinburne is actually a satellite club of a larger organisation known as “The Generations”, and that one of its core pillars is to organise charity activities.
“Our headquarters inspires the youths, brings sports to rural areas and organises charity events.
“So we (Generations Swinburne) are trying to take that spirit into Siwnburne”, Ivan explained.
Earnings from the bazaar will be donated to three local organisations, namely,Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA), Wishesland Kuching and the Sarawak Society for the Blind.
“Our headquarters already has a relationship with SSPCA, meanwhile Wishesland Kuching is close to our hearts because I’ve volunteered there before. As for the Sarawak Society for the Blind, it was one of our members who recommended them,” added Xin Ting.
For Ivan, the goal is bigger than just this single event.
“I hope the future leaders of Generations Swinburne will make this a tradition, it would not hurt to organise a charity bazaar once a year, I think,” he said.
Xin Ting echoes Ivan’s sentiment.
“I hope I can continue to support the club’s activities in the future, no matter who the president is”, she said with a smile.
As first-timers, both draw inspiration from past volunteering experiences during their school days, carrying with them the lessons of gratitude and empathy.
