Universiti Malaysia Kelantan shared a post detailing how retired government employee Chinnakaruppan expressed his emotions regarding his 20-year-old daughter, Kalaimagal, who had recently been accepted into the university.
The community raised RM3,000 in 2 hours
Chinnakaruppan’s story really hit home for his neighbours after he shared that his family didn’t have enough money for Kalaimagal’s registration fees.
Moved by their situation, the post quickly gained attention and went viral. In a heartwarming display of support, the local community rallied together, and within just 2 hours, they managed to raise an impressive RM3,000.
The dad suffers from nerve issues and asthma
Kalaimagal, who’s from Pengkalan Hulu, Perak, showed up for registration on October 1st to kick off her Bachelor’s Degree at the Faculty of Hospitality, Tourism, and Wellness (FHPK) at UMK.
Her dad, Chinnakaruppan, used to work for the Pengkalan Hulu District Council. He gets by on just RM700 a month and also deals with nerve issues and asthma.
The university contributed RM1,000 to her
Chinnakaruppan first sent out the WhatsApp message on 21st September 2024, asking a few friends for donations, not realising it would get shared in other WhatsApp groups.
At the same time, UMK’s Student Welfare and Discipline Division under the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs and Alumni quickly stepped in through the UMK Cakna Program, giving Kalaimagal RM1,000 in emergency aid, a laptop, and an essentials package.
“I promise to work hard and chase my dreams”
Kalaimagal shared how grateful and touched she was by the public’s generosity, explaining that her family’s financial struggles had left her unsure of how she’d pay the fees for the 2024/2025 intake.
The youngest of 4 siblings, said that to this day, she’s still in shock, never expecting that her neighbours would go out of their way to collect money for her.
“This help has really eased my burden and allowed me to prepare for my studies. We’re so thankful for the kindness of everyone. I promise to work hard and chase my dreams to change my family’s life,” she said.
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