Takaful Malaysia launches student food aid programme with nutritious meals for 1,000 Asnaf students

KUALA LUMPUR: In an effort to improve the health and nutrition of underprivileged students, Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Berhad (Takaful Malaysia), the first takaful operator in Malaysia, has partnered with the Ministry of Education to provide daily nutritious meals to 1,000 Asnaf students in ten primary schools in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on Sept 6.

This initiative, known as the “Di Hatiku” Student Food Aid Programme, is part of Takaful Malaysia’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability agenda with the goal of contributing to nation-building.

The collaboration represents the company’s commitment to distributing Zakat, a form of tithe, to eligible Asnaf recipients, and it aims to create sustainable value in the local community by addressing malnutrition through the provision of daily nutritious meals.

Nor Azman Zainal, the group chief executive officer of Takaful Malaysia, stated, “Our responsibility and commitment is to assist the government in addressing malnutrition by empowering the children with healthy meals. This is also in line with the spirit of takaful, which is to help one another, especially the needy.”

The “Di Hatiku” Student Food Aid Programme was launched in July of this year and targets 1,000 Asnaf students in ten primary schools in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. The programme, which aims to improve the nutrition intake of underprivileged students, will run until February next year for the school academic year of 2023/2024.

Takaful Malaysia is supplying daily set meals to eligible Asnaf students from low-income families at the respective schools. The company has collaborated closely with the Ministry of Education, selected school administrators, and canteen operators to ensure the proper implementation of the food aid programme.

Each selected student receives a complete lunch box set, and the daily menu selection is based on the food pyramid for children, incorporating vegetables, fruits, and protein sources to suit the students’ nutritional needs. Additionally, the children are provided with water bottles to encourage hydration.

The “Di Hatiku” Student Food Aid Programme supports the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in eradicating malnutrition and ensuring regular access to nutritious and sufficient food for normal growth, development, and a healthy life, particularly for Asnaf and underprivileged children.

Nor Azman Zainal expressed satisfaction with the positive response to the food aid programme and hopes that it will continue to benefit the Asnaf students. He concluded, “Putting a smile on the children’s faces and seeing them enjoying their meals are our best rewards.”