Donate books and toys to kids the easy, MyTeksi way

• NGO hopes to collect enough books and toys for 20 libraries in underserved communities
• Donors just need to use app for cabbies to collect donations; expenses borne by MyTeksi

TAXI-booking app developer MyTeksi is working with Science of Life Studies 24/7 (SOLS 24/7), a non-governmental organisation that focuses on educating and empowering the lives of those in rural communities, on a donation drive themed ‘Delivering Happiness’ to collect used toys and English books for 2,000 children in underserved communities.
 
“Our aim is to collect enough toys and books from the general public to fill 20 toy libraries in rural areas like Minusuh (Sabah), Kulim (Kedah), and Sungai Suloh (Johor Bahru),” said MyTeksi regional marketing head Cheryl Goh.
 
“By leveraging on our large network of taxis, donating is now really convenient as our taxis will help collect the donations from … the donor’s home over four weekends,” she added.
 

On the weekends from Dec 28, 2013 to Jan 19, 2014, donors will just need to prepare five toys, five children’s English books, or a mixture of both, suitable for those between the ages of eight and 14.
 
To donate, customers would need to use the MyTeksi application to make a booking from their homes to MyTeksi headquarters (MYTEKSI HQ). When the taxi arrives at the pick-up point, the items should be placed in the taxi and the taxi will make its way to MyTeksi’s headquarters.
 
The taxi fare for the trip will be borne by MyTeksi, and will be paid to the driver upon arrival at the headquarters. From there, the donations will be handed over to SOLS 24/7 to be distributed to the toy libraries.
 
“We are extremely glad and grateful to be able to be collaborating with MyTeksi for ‘Delivering Happiness’,” said SOLS 24/7 cofounder and director Raj Ridvan Singh.
 
“A lot of children in underserved communities would benefit greatly from the toys and books from donors; we really believe that through this effort, the livelihood of these children will be that bit brighter,” he added.
 
SOLS 24/7 is a non-political, non-religious NGO that provides education and social services without prejudice, beyond borders, to underserved communities. Its international team aims to serve, empower and educate as well as work with partners for strategic outreach.
 
With more than 130 centres having trained over 138,000 people since it was founded in 2000, SOLS 24/7 currently operates in Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Timor Leste and India.
 
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