LAUNCHGOOD, a global crowd-funding platform, is empowering passionate Malaysian change-makers in their fight to help the marginalised and poor.

Recently, #JOMLaunchGood held a 48-hour fundraiser exclusive to Malaysians in conjunction with Giving Tuesday, a global giving day following Thanksgiving that generated more than US$500 million (RM2.1 billion) for charities.

From November 30 to December 2, Malaysian change-makers competed in two fundraising leaderboard categories – the most number of supporters and highest amount raised.

For Persatuan Bangun Bersama Kuala Lumpur and Gerak Malaysia, the challenge was definitely a golden opportunity to empower their respective causes on free education classes and period poverty.

“We were thrilled, even until today to be a part of the challenge,” said the co-founder of Persatuan Bangun Bersama Kuala Lumpur, Raher Osman.

He told The Malaysian Insight that Kota Raya tuition project was its third campaign with LaunchGood after Tabung Cakna Kota Raya, a Covid-19 aid project and projek Korban Kota Raya, an Aidiladha-focused fundraiser.

The Kota Raya tuition project is a free education initiative for pupils in the B40 and M40 groups around Kuala Lumpur.

Raher said the platform has helped them empower their target community across Klang Valley.

Persatuan Bangun Bersama Kuala Lumpur is a registered society that aims to provide free access to education for pupils in the area.

Established last year, they have fostered a solid connection with the local community and delivered classes according to their customised needs.

“We don’t aim for the pupils to strive for excellence, all we care for is their personal appreciation for knowledge and to boost their confidence to navigate through the present world,” said Raher.

He is backed by a team of hired facilitators to enhance the learning process in mathematics, science and language subjects.

Raher said feedback from the community has always been positive and the #JOMLaunchGood challenge really “means the world to us”.

“We had our own daily strategy to boost the donation drive and we maximised our own personal network to boost the outreach to our friends, family and connections along the way.

“If anything, the challenge has helped us to convince people to support our cause and on top of that, reaffirmed the significance of networking for all of us at Bangun Bersama.

“I would recommend change-makers out there to leverage on LaunchGood for their own causes in the long run.”

Access to sanitary pads

Meanwhile, Gerak Malaysia believes in empowering social causes via on-ground engagements and incorporation of appreciation for literature in society.

It has been championing social causes since January 2019 and one of its core advocates is on period poverty for the marginalised in Kuala Lumpur.

Nursyuhaidah A. Razak, the founder of Gerak Malaysia, said period poverty is still rarely discussed in society.

“We’ve been engaging with communities in need since our establishment and we noticed a pattern in public aid, where they often do not include sanitary pads in hygiene kits.

“The public needs to realise that period poverty exists, whereby the access to sanitary pads is still limited in some communities.”

Gerak Malaysia has engaged with an academic who runs a study on period poverty whereby prompt intervention is necessary, she said.

“There are people who are suffering from this issue and we can’t just wait for studies to be published to enable an action being in place.”

LaunchGood is not a foreign platform to Gerak Malaysia, as it ran a campaign called Panik Lahad Datu in October, which met with huge success.

“The existence of the platform is great and deserves to receive more spotlight as an empowering platform.”

Gerak Malaysia is enthusiastic about it because the challenge helps to expand its outreach and amplify the exposure, she said.

“It also really pushes our limits to maximise the incoming donations, but it’s all worth it.”

Both campaigns are ongoing until the end of this month.

More than 40 cash prizes are awaiting fundraisers and the grand winner from each category will receive up to RM15,000. – December 8, 2020.