Ford Motor Company today announced the winners of its 2012 Conservation and Environmental Grants Programme in Malaysia. The selected projects will receive a combined total of RM150,000 to help carry out their missions of environmental protection and education. The 2012 Ford Conservation and Environmental Grants Programme is part of Ford’s philosophy that business growth and sustainability should go hand in hand. The programme in Malaysia this year focuses on local projects that are committed to protecting the environment. “This programme is one of the many ways Ford goes further to preserve the environment and to improve quality of life in the communities where we operate,” says David Westerman, regional manager, Asia Pacific, Ford Export & Growth Operations. Westerman added, “One of the great things about this programme is that it brings together all parties – Ford employees, customers, community groups and the general public – in real on-the-ground projects that have real, positive impacts on the quality of life and environments in these communities.” The winners for this year’s grants programme in Malaysia are the following eight organisations and their respective projects:
Kelab Alami, recipient of RM15,000 grant for their environmental awareness project which trains youths to be “Youth Rangers” who scientifically monitor their local sea grass, rocky shore and mangrove areas
EcoKnights, recipient of RM25,000 grant for their project to increase public awareness of environmental issues by creating community-based workshops to be conducted during Malaysia’s first environmental film festival, Anugerah Hijau
Tatana Roots, recipient of RM30,000 grant for their project to educate the Dusun Tatana people in Sabah on how to conserve their surrounding ecosystem, preserve their cultural heritage and build a sustainable future
Pertubuhan Muafakat Warga Desa, recipient of RM25,000 grant for their project to educate local communities on how to preserve mangrove forests
Dalat International School, recipient of RM8,000 grant for their project to educate students about aquaponics: the science of using clean, temperature-regulated water with dissolved nutrients from a fish tank as a water supply for growing fruits and vegetables
Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Pendidikan Islam, recipient of RM2,000 grant for their Bio Pores project, which will plant trees within a 100-hectre area using recycled food waste as fertiliser
Pendidikan Alam Sekitar, recipient of RM25,000 grant for their project to rehabilitate a river and neighbouring mangrove forests
Malaysia Nature Society, recipient of RM20,000 grant for their coastal environmental monitoring project, which will bring together coastal communities, government agencies and policy makers to better care for their coastline ecosystems. The Malaysia programme was announced in October of this year and received a range of submissions from organisations, including NGOs, community groups and public entities. From the submissions, an independent jury panel was formed and comprised experts in different areas of conservation. They include Dr. Sundari Ramakrishna, Conservation Director of WWF-Malaysia, Gonthong Lourdesamy, General Manager of Wild Asia, Dr. Ismail Harun, Director of the Forestry and Environment Division at Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and Professor Ahmad, Head of Department in the Department of Biology in UPM and advisor for the Environmental Education programme, run by the Malaysian Nature Society. Representing Ford Malaysia was R.Veemala, National Sales Manager, Ford Export Operations – Asia Pacific; Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), Ford’s dealership partner, was represented by Queenie Tham, Marketing Communication Director and Calvin Foong, Senior Executive, Marketing and Communications.
About Ford’s 2012 Malaysia Conservation and Environmental Grants Programme Since launching the global grants programme in 1983, Ford has awarded more than US$2 million in grants to hundreds of environmental projects in 60 countries, spanning Asia Pacific, the Caribbean, Central America, the Middle East and Puerto Rico. In Asia Pacific alone, Ford has played a pivotal role in advancing environmental initiatives and the Conservation and Environmental Grants programme has become an annual event in select markets within Ford Export & Growth’s Asia Pacific region. “We believe the challenges we face as a society present us with an opportunity to add value for everyone, and remain committed to the long-term preservation and enhancement of environmental, social and financial capital,” says Westerman. Ford Motor Company is dedicated to preserving the environment for future generations and providing ingenious environmental solutions that contribute to a sustainable planet. Initiatives such as Ford’s Conservation and Environmental Grants programme evidence a commitment to encourage, support and reward the actions of individuals, groups and non-profit organisations in achieving the same goal.
