A group of 22 UTAR students dedicated their time and energy to achieve the success of the Bazaar Junior Perak 2023 as it returned with a vivacious comeback this year. Organised jointly by Junior Chamber International Kinta (JCI Kinta), Little Tauke and Perak State Government, the bazaar concluded with a resounding success at Meow Garden, Tambun on 17 June 2023. It successfully attracted the participation of 2,000 individuals.

UTAR is proud of the student volunteers for playing a significant role in the effort to ignite a passion for entrepreneurship among children. The participation of the UTAR students served as a testament to the University’s commitment to community engagement as well as fostering entrepreneurial spirit among its students.

The event was known formerly as the “School of Hope: Children Flea Market”. It was reintroduced as the Bazaar Junior Perak 2023 this year, as it received a great amount of positive feedback from parents and children last year. With a quest to realise a bigger-scale event, the event committee aimed to create an inclusive environment by attracting multiracial participants with diverse backgrounds. It was successful, for children from a multitude of family backgrounds mingled warmly and went homes with lovely memories.

The event was joined by 257 children, including 74 sponsored children, who managed a total of 60 stalls. During the event, a series of comprehensive learning programmes were implemented, offering children aged six to 12 years old invaluable business training, corporate visitations, and the opportunity to run their own businesses in the flea market. Moreover, the total sales of the whole flea market were estimated up to RM25,000. A donation of 10% of the profits from stalls managed by non-underprivileged children was donated to charities, thus nurturing the children to embrace community spirit.

The group of UTAR student volunteers played a vital role in assisting and guiding the young entrepreneurs throughout the event. The children were brimmed with beaming smiles on their faces, expressing their gratitude for the invaluable lessons. From the first-hand experience of managing businesses, they learned the basics of running a business, ranging from conducting transactions and keeping track of their earnings and expenses to making sound financial decisions and effectively managing their finances.

As an MoU partner of JCI Kinta, UTAR recognises the significance of the event, which aimed to educate children about finance and entrepreneurship at a young age, and at the same time, build a close and vibrant community. The collaboration between UTAR and Bazaar Junior Perak 2023 event committee signified the University’s commitment to nurturing well-rounded individuals and contributing to the well-being of society.

Not to mention, UTAR is both proud and grateful of the student volunteers who shined radiantly in shaping the future entrepreneurial generations. They might not stand in the spotlight, but they certainly were the sparks of passion in the eyes of the children.