KOTA SAMARAHAN: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance Malaysia (MOF), continues to strengthen its commitment to community empowerment through the Community Empowerment Programme of Public Universities (Community @ UniMADANI), an initiative that supports sustainable development and social entrepreneurship at the grassroots level.
A delegation from MOF conducted an official visit to Kampung Baru here on Wednesday, to assess the progress of the ‘Community @ UniMADANI: Waste to Wealth – Empowering Community Through Green Innovation’ project, led by the UNIMAS Sustainability Centre.
This green innovation project transforms used cooking oil into value-added products such as candles and soap, helping to reduce environmental pollution while creating new income opportunities for local residents.
According to Project Leader, Professor Dr Zainab Ngaini, of UNIMAS, 80 per cent of the project has been completed, and participants are now earning an average of RM2,000 per month through recycling-based economic activities.
“This project demonstrates that the waste-to-wealth approach not only promotes environmental sustainability but also transforms the lives of rural communities through new economic opportunities,” she said.
The MOF commended UNIMAS for its strategic collaboration with local communities to achieve the objectives of the ‘Community @ UniMADANI’ programme, in line with the Malaysia MADANI agenda to strengthen the people’s economy through green innovation and sustainability.
The ‘Community @ UniMADANI’ programme continues to serve as a testament to the success of collaborations between universities, government, and society in building resilient, innovative, and sustainable communities.
