JOHOR BAHRU, 15 June – What happens when nature, compassion, and education converge? At Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre (TMIYC) on a serene Sunday morning, 47 children from Rumah Perlindungan Fitrah Qaseh and nearby schools gathered for a day camp filled with discovery, creativity, and care for the environment.
Green Discovery 2.0: NatureKind Day Camp was a continuation of the Green Discovery series organized by students enrolled in the Science of Volunteerism (ULRF2352) course. Mohd Ibrahim Hj. Azman, a course lecturer and community advocate from Duta Sejahtera Johor Bahru (DUTRA JB), facilitated the students in transforming their academic learning into a platform for enriching leadership abilities, environmental education, and social inclusion through experiential and service learning. This program received a strategic support from Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB), Johor Sustainability Centre (JSC), and Fives Hotel.
The most memorable activity occurred during the Tree Planting Ceremony, when all participants, facilitators, and VIPs worked together to plant 60 fruit trees around TMIYC. It symbolized the beginnings of kindness, growth, and the long-term roots of community engagement.
Other highlights included Clean & Clear: Filtration Lab, where participants learned about clean water access through upcycled filters; Green Craft Workshop, which turned waste into creative art; and the lively Nature Chase Explorace, featuring five checkpoints on biodiversity, recycling, and sustainability. These modules not only engaged soft skills development but were also connected to specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), thereby offering real-world relevance to each game and experiment.
The event drew the support of several distinguished guests, including Fadzlina Abdul Malek, Director of MBJB’s Community Development Department, who officiated the closing ceremony. Also present were MBJB Council Members: YBhg. Dato’ Haji Abdul Rashid Kasman (Zon Kempas), YBhg. Datuk Yahya Jaafar (Zon Bandar Baru Uda), Ahmad Mubarak Mohamed Kunyi (Zon Tampoi); Fayzul Dato’ Haji Omar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JSC; YM Tengku Tarmizi Tengku Aziz, Chief Librarian of Perpustakaan Sultan Ismail, MBJB; and Executive representatives from Fives Hotels. All of them expressed their support for the continuation of similar youth-led engagement initiatives in more communities.
For the students, it was more than a coursework requirement. “This programme isn’t just about giving back. It’s about learning through giving and experience, embracing diversity, innovating for sustainability, building meaningful partnerships, and leading through action with purpose and performance,” shared Ibrahim Hj. Azman.
As the day concluded with smiles, awards, and heartfelt farewells, the programme left more than memories. It planted a vision where youth lead with kindness, learning goes beyond classrooms, and nature is the teacher. Green Discovery is not just a camp; it is a catalyst! From the seeds planted here, something greater will grow. “When nature heals, kindness leads”, and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) students proved they are ready to carry both forward.