Kota Kinabalu: DP World has provided 210 child-sized life jackets to students who travel by boat to Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Gantisan from Kampung Numbak and Kampung Kebagu to help make their daily journeys to school safer.
The initiative was carried out in collaboration with local joint venture partner Suria Group and Sabah Ports Sdn Bhd (SPSB), as students from the two coastal communities have previously had to rely on oversized adult life jackets during their daily boat journeys to school.
DP World Executive Vice President, People, Asia Pacific, Gaylynne Neill said the company’s responsibility extended beyond moving goods to building stronger and more prosperous communities where people of all ages could thrive, with education at the core of that commitment.
“At DP World, our responsibility extends beyond moving goods to building stronger and more prosperous communities where people of all ages can thrive.
Education is at the core of that commitment, and we believe that every child deserves to travel to school safely, regardless of where they live.
“For students in Sabah’s coastal communities, that journey begins on the water, and something as simple as a properly fitted life jacket can make a meaningful difference.
As such, we are heartened to be introducing this initiative at SK Gantisan – bolstering access to education ultimately enabling long-term progress and economic development,” she said during the ceremony on Friday.
The life jackets were officially handed over during a ceremony at Wisma Sabah Ports on Oct 1, attended by representatives from DP World, Suria Group, SPSB and the Sabah Ports Authority (SPA), as well as students, teachers and members of the SK Gantisan Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) committee.
A total of 11 child-sized life jackets were presented to students from Kampung Numbak and Kampung Kebagu during the ceremony, while the remaining 199 will be delivered directly to SK Gantisan.
Apart from distributing life jackets, DP World will continue its partnership with SK Gantisan to increase students’ awareness of marine biodiversity and conservation through educational activities covering coral reefs, mangroves, turtle conservation and orangutans.
Education is one of DP World’s global priorities under its Our World, Our Future sustainability strategy, which aims to reach 1.5 million students by 2030 through initiatives that expand access to learning and future opportunities, including scholarships and school outreach programmes.
Most recently, DP World partnered with Australian non-profit organisation LiteHaus International to launch a digital education initiative in Fiji, expanding access to technology and digital learning opportunities for students across five schools.
