​​​​​ARA DAMANSARA, 18 April 2016 – Sime Darby Property’s quest in promoting sustainability and preservation of the environment have inspired the creation of the Young Sustainability Ambassador (YSA) Programme, a dedicated platform to educate children about sustainability and how to contribute towards the wellness of the planet and their community.

Encouraged by the success of its YSA Programme roadshows held at The Glades, Putra Heights in February and Bukit Jelutong in March, Sime Darby Property continued its effort with the community of Denai Alam township, part of City of Elmina in Shah Alam recently.

The YSA Programme roadshow that took place at the Denai Alam Sales Gallery and Idea House received a remarkable turnout of 93 children from the age of 7 – 17 years old, who were eager to participate in activities organised by the YSA Programme.

New and current YSA Programme members--also known as the ‘Green Hearties’--had the opportunity to participate in a Green Hunt activity, organised to educate the children on the importance of recycling and reducing the use of non-recyclable materials. Younger participants were given clues to assist with their hunt for recyclable and non-recyclable items embedded across the activity area, while older children used compasses to solve mini hunt problems and complete their tasks.

Through an approach known as experiential learning, the activity also enabled participants to recognise and differentiate renewable and non-renewable resources and be educated on its impact towards the earth and environment, in a fun and interactive way.

Dato’ Ir. Jauhari Hamidi, Managing Director of Sime Darby Property said, “The Young Sustainability Ambassador programme not only equips young children with the knowledge about sustainability and the importance of preserving Mother Nature, it is also a way for them to improve their social and leadership skills through interaction and sharing of ideas with other YSA Programme members.

“In addition, the YSA programme will provide the children with insights on sustainable practices through fun educational activities. Our aim is to change the public’s perception of what sustainability means generally and nurture the young on its real meaning, which includes the well-being of the environment, people, and lifestyle to drive prosperity within communities,” Dato’ Ir. Jauhari added.

In addition to the event itself, the YSA event held at Denai Alam managed to garner 65 new members from children living in the township. The YSA programme’s membership is divided into two age groups, from 7 – 12 and 13 - 17 years old, allowing the program to be easily customised to suit the needs of the respective age brackets, providing an effective learning process and meaningful experience.

Sime Darby Property is progressively delivering its promises by embedding sustainability in its business practices, corporate culture and through a range of focused sustainability initiatives to reach out to its communities.

Started in 2013 as a program solely for the children of Sime Darby Property employees, the YSA Programme is gradually expanding its reach externally to children within selected Sime Darby Property townships. The initiative will further expand across most of its township communities by next year.

Updates on Sime Darby Property activities and developments can also be found on
simedarbyproperty.com, Facebook and Instagram and the Sime Darby Property Mobile App (available for download via the App Store and Google Play)