Who are the beneficiary institutions?

Cancer Research Malaysia (CRMY) CRMY is a non-profit cancer research laboratory researching cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment programs to reduce cancer incidence and mortality. Sarawak Children's Cancer Society (SCCS) SCCS is an NGO that specialises in supporting cancer patients and their families. It provides counselling for cancer children, buddy programs, palliative support, monthly financial subsidies, medical treatment not covered by the government and transport subsidies.

What is the timetable for proposals and decisions?

At the end of June in the calendar year, details of the universities' participation are finalized. The Projects for Happiness will be launched and students may begin to apply through the official website of Starfish Foundation by the designated deadline. Final decisions on all shortlisted projects will be delivered by Khind Starfish Foundation panel. Only shorrlisted projects will be called for pitching presentations in the judging session. All project owners who succeed in pitching during the judging session shall begin their fundraising in order to be entitled to the grant. All project funding and relevant agreements signed by the recipient of projects. Grant payments to the project owners will be made after all agreements have been received by the Khind Starfish Foundation. Final reports submission in December. All project owners will need to present their work at Final Presentation Day organized by the Foundation at the end of the year after completion of the project.

Project For Happiness FAQs

Q: What do you mean by Projects For Happiness?

Projects for Happiness is an initiative for all undergraduates in Malaysia to design grassroots projects - anywhere in Malaysia - which promote happiness and address the root cause of poverty and poor education. We encourage applicants to use their creativity to design projects and employ innovative techniques for engaging project participants in ways that focus on education and poverty eradication. Through a competition on over 100 campuses, projects will be selected for funding at a maximum of RM10,000 each. We hope to encourage student initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship by finding creative ways to bring people better education and promoting economic opportunity among socioeconomically challenged communities. In general, projects should be building blocks for a sustainable model. The overall program is intended to be nationwide in scope and impact.

Projects for Happiness is an initiative for all undergraduates in Malaysia to design grassroots projects – anywhere in Malaysia – which promote happiness and address the root cause of poverty and poor education.

We encourage applicants to use their creativity to design projects and employ innovative techniques for engaging project participants in ways that focus on education and poverty eradication. Through a competition on over 100 campuses, projects will be selected for funding at a maximum of RM10,000 each.

We hope to encourage student initiative, innovation and entrepreneurship by finding creative ways to bring people better education and promoting economic opportunity among socioeconomically challenged communities. In general, projects should be building blocks for a sustainable model. The overall program is intended to be nationwide in scope and impact.

Projects for Happiness is created through the generosity of My Starfish Foundation (formerly known as Khind's Starfish Foundation).

The founder, Mr. Cheng Ping Keat is the Executive Chairman of Khind Holdings Berhad, a manufacturer and marketer of consumer and industrial electrical products. The Company has been involved with various charitable initiatives in the country.

The objectives of the My Starfish Foundation will be reflected through Projects for Happiness in the hope that it will spark the ‘spirit of volunteerism' amongst young adults to recognize that helping the less fortunate and making a small but important difference to their lives is a worthy cause.

Undergraduates in any Malaysian university are eligible to apply.

We welcome both group and individual submissions.

There are six categories of themes in this project:

Helping the Underprivileged Community
Quality Education
Arts and Culture
Environment Protection
Animal Welfare
Racial Harmony

Poverty eradication and education shall be targeted to those under privileged groups that aim at improving their living conditions, creating jobs and providing education opportunities for the needy.

Cultural and performing arts shall organize, carry out, facilitate or support initiatives or measures in connection with promotion of culture, arts or heritage.

Funding per project is a maximum of RM10,000.

My Starfish Foundation welcomes projects of a larger nature that may require more funds, but on the basis that these projects are able to source for additional funding of their own through other sources of collaboration or from other donors.

To be considered, a student (or group of students) must upload an infographic that describe the project to Instagram and prepare a written statement which describes the project (who, what, where, how) including expected outcomes and prospects for the future impact (not to exceed two pages) as well as budget (one separate page).

All written project proposals require a heading to include the following: name of the participating institution, name of all student participants, the title of the project, dates of the projects, location where the project will be performed.

Proposals should include pre approval of all involved parties and organizations involved in the project. The two page proposals and one page budget should be submitted electronically via the official website of the Khind Starfish Foundation. Students with queries may direct them to the foundation.

Submit your proposal here.

Selected project proposals will be called for presentation in the judging session.

Students need to prepare powerpoint slides for their pitching presentation to a panel of judges.

Final review and approval of all recommended proposals from individual campuses rests solely with the Khind Starfish Foundation Panel which will then award funds to each applicant with successful project(s).

Recipients who have been preselected during judging session to receive the grant from Khind Starfish Foundation, must on their own recognisance raise a minimum 15% of their targeted amounts for their projects as a criteria for receiving funding from the Foundation.

Final selection of projects to receive funding from The Foundation will be at the sole discretion of the panel judges. Please note that the minimum 15% must be raised from at least 10 individuals.

Recipients who have been pre-selected during judging session to receive the grant from My Starfish Foundation, must on their own recognisance raise a minimum 15% of their targeted amounts for their projects as a criteria for receiving funding from the Foundation.

Final selection of projects to receive funding from The Foundation will be at the sole discretion of the panel judges. Please note that the minimum 15% must be raised from at least 10 individuals.

At the end of June in the calendar year, details of the universities' participation are finalized. The Projects for Happiness will be launched and students may begin to apply through the official website of Starfish Foundation by the designated deadline.
Final decisions on all shortlisted projects will be delivered by Khind Starfish Foundation panel.
Only shortlisted projects will be called for pitching presentations in the judging session.
All project owners who succeed in pitching during the judging session shall begin their fundraising in order to be entitled to the grant.
All project funding and relevant agreements signed by the recipient of projects.
Grant payments to the project owners will be made after all agreements have been received by the Khind Starfish Foundation.
Final reports submission in December.
All project owners will need to present their work at Final Presentation Day organized by the Foundation at the end of the year after completion of the project.

Each funded project must submit a final report to the My Starfish Foundation office online no later than 1st Dec.

The final report form can be downloaded from the MSF website. It also includes a separate one page accounting of the funds expended using the budget form provided on the website.

Final Report will be posted on My Starfish Foundation Website.

Final Presentation will be organized by My Starfish Foundation at the end of the year via Facebook Live.

The purpose of this presentation is for students to showcase their projects to the public. Students will need to prepare material for the presentation including PowerPoint presentations, 3 mins video, and photos.

The exact date of the presentation day will be informed to the involved students.

In view of the COVID19 pandemic, Project for Happiness has pivoted our direction that all the participant's projects for submission are required to include online or online related elements.