When Thanuja Kumaran saw her underprivileged classmates struggling to cope up with online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown due to the lack of digital devices, she set out on a mission.

The 10-year-old from SJKT Ladang Highlands in Klang, Selangor, kickstarted the "Digital Hope" project last September after witnessing one of her classmates struggle to cope with online classes, as the latter had to rely on her mother's mobile phone.

"Whenever (my friend's) mother was at work, my classmate could not attend the online classes and she was missing out on lessons.

"When I heard about this, I asked my mother if we could get my classmate a second-hand laptop," she told the New Straits Times (NST).

Thanuja's mother then sought help from her friends from the Concerned UM Indian Graduates (CUMIG) group, after which the girl's friend received a laptop through the group's I-Digital programme.

The charitable youngster attended the Tuanku Bainun Young Changemakers - Home Series 2021 programme last August, and the following month, she initiated the "Digital Hope" programme, which has thus far acquired and distributed 16 digital devices to benefit 22 students (recipients and their siblings).

Among the contributors to the cause include political parties, corporate leaders, and non-governmental organisations, said the report.

According to Thanuja, education is a basic right that should be be deprived by "digital poverty".

Helping the underprivileged has reminded her to count her blessings for being able to receive a good education, she said.

"Blessed with whatever I have, I feel responsible to uplift the less-fortunate ones in the society."

Thanuja also believes that age should pose no barrier for one to undertake a noble cause.

The girl, who aspires to be a detective in the future, plans to embark on awareness campaign on obesity and food wastage among children, inthe future, said the report.

A laudable effort indeed, Thanuja. Keep up the good work, and may her works inspire more people to help the underprivileged in whatever way they can.


Source & Photo source: NST