IF there is an urgent calling for the young people in the society to step up and make a difference, now is definitely the best time with the uncertainty still revolving around us in the name of Covid-19 pandemic.
Persatuan Inspirasi Generasi Baru (PIGB), a non-governmental organisation that was established in 2019 by a group of young adults in Penang, is doing just that by actively organising community-based activities.
Its president K. Kishorenathan, 25, who is also a Penangite, said the main reason the NGO came into existence is to form a chain of youngsters to come forward and get involved in assisting the needy in the state. They help provide the underprivileged with daily provisions, donations in the form of cash (contribution from all the members) and many others.
“Some of our initiatives involved helping a B40 family living at Taman Padang Tembak Flat in Air Itam by buying groceries for them for three months.
“The other one was when we organised an online fundraising effort to raise fund for a final semester student studying in a college here in Penang.
“The fund was raised based on contributions from all our 20 members and generous donations from members of the public whom we approached,” he told Buletin Mutiara during an interview session.
Kishore, who works as a bracelet designer in WTF Studios in George Town, said the company had also contributed a certain amount of money to support the NGO’s efforts in helping the family at the flat.
While channeling efforts to assist the needy, he said, the NGO is also heavily involved in organising activities pertaining to cleanliness in public spaces in the state.
“We are not only focused on assisting the vulnerable families, but also on lending a hand to the state in its efforts to ensure Penang remains a clean and green state.
“Last year, we organised our first beach cleanup activity in Batu Ferringhi, which was officiated by Bukit Bendera Member of Parliament Wong Hon Wai.
“We are truly grateful as a team that we are able to be on the same page with the Penang government whose Penang2030 vision is focused on ‘A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation’,” he added.
Kishore said some of the challenges the team had faced when setting up the NGO were their worry over raising funds and acquiring manpower to help the needy.
“These were the two main challenges we had during the early stages of the NGO, but due to the active roles and the members’ desire to go the extra mile, we were able to overcome them,” he added.
When asked about future plans concerning the NGO, Kishore said the team is currently working on organising tuition classes for UPSR students at an affordable fee, setting up a physical office after receiving overwhelming response and to spread their wings of helping out places of worship throughout the state.
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan and PIGB