It was an honour Taiping truly deserved.
The picturesque town was named the third most sustainable city at the 2019 Sustainable Top 100 Destination Awards at the International Tourismus-Börse travel trade show in Berlin, Germany last year – adding on to its numerous eco-related local awards in the past.
And the Inner Wheel Club of Taiping is moving towards long-term community service and promoting green and sustainable ideas to help make Taiping a truly green town.
“We have conducted talks at Sekolah Semangat Maju Taiping about green and sustainable efforts but we believe more can be done. As such, we have decided to adopt the school as a start to educate them about green initiatives,” said Inner Wheel Club of Taiping president K.Viji.
Located at Jalan Hang Jebat, Sekolah Semangat Maju is dedicated to slow learners and children with learning or mental disabilities.
“We have been supporting the school since 1995 through its annual food fair where we help the school raise funds but we are bent on doing more and hope our education programme will help the school go green and become sustainable.”
Viji said the activities include introducing a garbage separation system and discouraging single-use plastics. She said this was important as the waste seen during the school’s annual food fair was an eyesore.
“Such an effort, if done right, will go a long way and we hope this will encourage more people to do the same at home.”
The club will also help raise some RM10,000 in cash and kind to refurbish the school which was established in 1991.
“The school has its own fund-raising initiatives especially seen during the annual food fair but surely more can be done and it’s our way of helping the community.”
“There are posters here and there about the environment but there must be a serious drive to get people to adopt green practices. Proper places are also needed to dispose of all kinds of waste, including e-waste.
“We will be happy to collaborate with any party, including Taiping Municipal Council, to educate the locals.”
The initiative is timely as Inner Wheel Club of Taiping will host 22 clubs from District 330 for the World Inner Wheel Day on Jan 18.
International Inner Wheel president Phyllis Charter, from the UK, will join Taiping MP Teh Kok Lim during the event at the Grand Baron Hotel.
Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards supporting Sekolah Semangat Maju.
“We have planned an exciting night which includes the Inner Wheel Got Talent Contest with club members performing.
“We are excited to host Charter as hope she will enjoy the wonders of Taiping and thank Teh for lending his support as he purchased a table for Sekolah Semangat Maju children,” Viji added.
Inner Wheel is an international women’s organisation that aims to foster friendship, service and understanding. It has clubs in more than 100 nations with over 100,000 members.
For more information about Inner Wheel Club of Taiping’s initiatives and the World Inner Wheel Day celebration, contact Viji at +6019-565 6986.