In view of the resurgence of COVID-19 outbreak in the country, Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) managed to raise a total of BND$6,448.40 in pandemic aid from the ‘COVID-19 Donation Drive 2.0’ organised by Student Affairs Office, and BND$2,469.69 from the ‘UTB Care 1.2’ organised by the students from the ExCo Community Service & Project, and Community Service & Volunteering Club.
The donation drives aimed to alleviate the burdens of those impacted by COVID-19 since the onset of the second wave. The COVID-19 Donation Drive 2.0 and UTB Care 1.2 were collected amongst the university staff and students which took place from 19 to 31 August 2021 and from 13 to 18 September 2021 respectively.
Following its first installment last year, the COVID-19 Donation Drive 2.0 has expanded into three other initiatives.
First of the three initiatives was held on 14 September 2021 where seventeen local and international students residing at the University and Core Residential College received daily necessities such as food and hygiene supplies from the donation drive proceeds. The distribution hoped to provide sustenance for the students who are unable to travel back home during this partial lockdown.
Another initiative was to support the university students with virtual learning difficulties. Ever since the second wave of the COVID-19, all education institutions and schools have resorted to online teaching and learning. Following this, UTB initiated a fund for e-learning to help students facing financial challenges with internet data usage for online learning. A total of BND$1,500 was collected and given to fifty recipients in a monetary form through online banking.
Meanwhile the third initiative, a sum of BND$3,500 has been allocated from the donation drive and channeled directly to the Ministry of Health's COVID-19 Relief Fund through a handover ceremony held on 20 October 2021. On behalf of UTB, the contribution was handed over by Awang Lim Chui Hua, Registrar and Secretary, to Awang Kamarul Azam bin Hj Mohamad, Director of Administration and Finance, Ministry of Health.
As for UTB Care 1.2, the donation drive aimed to donate essential items to the medical front liners. Among the items that were being purchased from the proceeds were bottles of shampoos and body wash, medical face masks, and gloves. The supplies were delivered to RIPAS Sports Complex on 18 November 2021.
Aimed to further assist and ease the burden of students of the university in response to the current e-learning situation, the Student Affairs Office is organising another donation drive entitled UTB Laptop Donation. The donation was collected amongst the UTB staff from 27 October to 2 November 2021.
