Problem to be tackled

According to the Malaysian Health Institute four out of five children are inactive and two out of three sedentary. Malaysia is a country with low sports participation and especially for young girls. According to the Malaysian Health Institute, one in three teenagers are overweight, and four out of five are inactive and two out of three are sedentary; Malaysia currently has the highest obesity rate in South-East Asia and children are not reaching the 150 minutes of physical activity needed by WHO standards. Based on a report from UNICEF, Malaysian Youth Mental Health Index 2023 conclude that six out of ten youth experience mild to severe depression symptoms. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia estimates that children have fallen behind by up to two years in literacy; a concerning 30% of Malaysian children cannot read at the expected level by age ten; the pandemic has notably exacerbated the decline in English literacy, particularly in primary schools; studies indicate that the extended period away from classrooms has severely affected students’ reading, writing, and public speaking abilities, particularly among low-income and rural communities; reintegrating into classes post-pandemic poses greater challenges as the recovery of lost learning has been slow; additionally, children have missed out on two years of crucial social interactions, friendships, and the developmental benefits of being in a social environment due to the cancellation of physical and co-curricular classes.

Local partner

The “Little Legends” is a structured after-school programme that uses sports to enhance and motivate students to excel in their academic and social skills. Sports, well-known for fostering sportsmanship, teamwork, and perseverance, play a crucial role in healthy developmental growth and mental wellness. The Little Legends Programme focuses on squash as a tool to promote positive health and mental development among school children.

The programme aims to complement traditional education by offering professional squash training and English tutoring to children from public schools in the low and mid income communities of Kuala Lumpur. As a pilot project, the Nicol David Organisation believes in leveraging sports values such as discipline, confidence, and proficiency in English to foster holistic development.

Moreover, the programme spans five years, beginning at age eight (Standard 2) and concluding at age 13 (Standard 6). Over these years, the Nicol David Organisation will also conduct ad-hoc life-skill workshops covering subjects like arts, science, STEM, and public speaking to boost confidence and explore new areas of growth. By providing this capacity-building experience, the Nicol David Organisation aims to empower children from low- and mid-income families in Kuala Lumpur with enhanced educational opportunities for their future.

Beneficiaries

The Nicol David Organisation focuses with “Little Legends” on children at a young age because they believe the younger they start the intervention the more prepared the beneficiaries will be for life adversities and with the right values for a positive future.

The additional programme element “Ibu Legends” focuses on the Little Legends’ mothers, because they are usually unrewarded and disregarded, their focus is their families, and many are living unhealthy lives and with high stress levels impacting their parenting skills and overall happiness. The Nicol David Organisation believes that by empowering the mother, the children will also be positively impacted.

SOL’s contribution

With the support from The SOL Foundation, the Nicol David Organisation will be able to significantly extend and expand the Little Legends programme that provides Squash training, English tutoring and life-skills workshops, their “Ibu Legends” programme that empowers mothers through mental well being, parenting workshops and nutrition support; furthermore, the support will help expand outreach programmes to public schools with sports inclusion and empowerment.