JS Life Skills Workshop 

Summary

We are a group of engineering students from Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, who are willing to extend a helping hand to guide and nurture the orphans in New Life Care Centre located in Port Dickson, Malaysia. Many orphans nowadays have yet to realize their true potential, and may lack of certain life skills such as teamwork and critical thinking, which are vital skills that one should have later on in their lives. Therefore, our team will be conducting a life skill workshop in the orphanage itself, as we hope to instil good values while aiding them in discovering their inner strengths. Activities such as baking, robot-making session using simple electronic components such as a DC motor and a 9V battery, and the spaghetti marshmallow challenge will not only hone their team working capabilities while sparking their interest in robotics, but most importantly, making sure everyone is having lots of fun!

About Us

A bunch of fun and exciting engineering student. 

Group members:LAI YEN LING, CHOW KOWK RONG, NG JIA SHENG,  LEE WEN KYN, SOW DER ZHI JEREMY

Our Mission

Introducing an alternative method of utilizing donations given by the piblic to create a bigger contribution and impact of the unfortunate orphans' lifes. Also to cultivate the children's future with proper life skills and 21st Century knowledge that are essential for them to be part of our society. 

Why? 

Charity has became a very common thing around us and it is always about asking people to donate a fair share amount of donations to them which will be given to respective non-profit organizations or groups. However there are cases that many are unaware of how the money are spent or will the money ever reached to the poor and needy ones. For our case we are referring to orphanages. We believed that instead of simply donating, utilizing the fundings to create programmes to educate the children is the most viable choice and conduct activities to help fix and clean up the orphanage may create a bigger impact than simply donations. 

Our Schedule

*Subject to change*

Our Plan

Our workshop will teach the children skills related to the 21st century including communication skills and technological skills. We will have a robotic or robot making sessions to let the children to gain interests in the field of technology. The session allow the kids to make small miniature robots with parts provided by us, they will be guided throughout the session. Then they will race their robots to see who has the best robots, the winner, 1st runner up and 2nd runner up will be awarded with small prize. Then a teambuilding and fun activity session, the Spaghetti and Marshmallow challenge where the children has to build the tallest standing structure using only spaghetti and marshmallow, this is will also teach the children problem solving skills as they are only given a limited amount of resources and has to think out of the box to build a creative structure. And lastly a cooking / baking session of where we will let the kids to bake their own cookies for entertainment and memorable moments, all ingredients will be provided by us. At the end of the day, we will conduct a cleaning session to clean up the orphanage and gift them new furnitures to use, as a sign of contribution to support the orphanage and to create a comfortable environment for the children. During our closing session, we will have a personal session with the kids, similarily to a counselling session to boost their confidence. (This is optional depending on situation and agreements from the respective party). 

Spaghetti and Marshmallow challenge rules:

• Build the Tallest Freestanding Structure: The winning team is the one that has the tallest structure measured from the table top surface to the top of the marshmallow. That means the structure cannot be suspended from a higher structure, like a chair, ceiling or chandelier.
• The Entire Marshmallow must be on top: The entire marshmallow needs to be on the top of the structure. Cutting or eating part of the marshmallow disqualifies the team.
• Use as Much or as Little of the Kit: The team can use as many or as few of the 20 spaghetti sticks, as much or as little of the string or tape. The team cannot use the paper bag as part of their structure.
• Break up the Spaghetti, String or Tape: Teams are free to break the spaghetti, cut up the tape and string to create new structures.
• The Challenge Lasts 18 minutes: Teams cannot hold on to the structure when the time runs out. Those touching or supporting the structure at the end of the exercise will be disqualified.
• Ensure Everyone Understands the Rules: Don’t worry about repeating the rules too many times. Repeat them at least three times. Ask if anyone has any questions before starting.

Budget Plan

a) Cooking/Baking session for food

(Chocolate Chip Cookies, Servings: 12)

Ingredients needed: 

• ½ cup sugar X 3 = 1.5 cups
• ¾ cup brown sugar, packed x 3 = 2.25 cups
• 1 teaspoon salt = 3 teaspoon
• ½ cup butter, melted = 1.5 cups
• 1 egg x 3 = 3 eggs 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract x 3 = 3 teaspoons
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour = 3.75 cups
• ½ teaspoon baking soda = 1.5 teaspoon
• 4 ounces (120 ml) milk or semi-sweet chocolate chunks = 480 ml milk
• 4 ounces dark chocolate chunks (Optional)

Estimated cost: RM 60.00

b) Robotic workshop and "RoboRace"

Resources needed:

• DC motor x 20  (RM 8 x 20 = RM 160)
• 9V battery (RM 5.30 x 20 = RM 106)
• Battery snap x 20 (RM0.60 x 20 = RM 12)
• Hot glue gun
• Glue sticks
• Straws (white and blue) 
• Scissors 
• Lighter 
• Ice cream sticks 
• Toothpicks 
• Extra battery snaps/eyeballs/marker pen (for eyes) 
• Power outlet extension 
• Prizes for winners, first place runner up and second place runner up

Estimated cost: RM 325.00

c) New furniture: shoe rack (SHOPEE)

Quantity needed: 3 racks

Estimated cost: RM 129.00

Reference: https://www.tomwujec.com/design-projects/marshmallow-challenge/

d) Fun activity: Spaghetti and Marshmallow challenge

(18 mins game, 5 per group, total 8 groups):

• Spaghetti packets x 5 (20 strands of spaghetti strands per group)
• Marshmallow x 10
• Masking tape x 2
• Measuring tape
• Video projector and recorded (record whole process)

Reference: https://www.tomwujec.com/design-projects/marshmallow-challenge/

Estimated cost: RM 25

e) Transportation cost

Estimated cost: RM 50

Therefore, total: RM(60+325+129+25+50) = RM589.00 #

Side Note:

* If anyone who is interested and intends to transfer any of the following old or unused items, please contact us:
- stationery
- clothes, shorts, school uniforms
- kitchen or household utensils
- bed sheets
- Tableware
- Iron, ironing board
- Blender, rice cooker

We hope everyone would take the initiative to support our fund-raising so that JS life skills workshop can be a great success in improving orphans lives and give them hope! We cannot do all great things but we can do small things with great love together and achieve something wonderful!