2023 ECEF Scholar

Nurmysara Daniella binti Shanizal

Our latest Elena Cooke Education Fund scholar is Nurmysara Daniella binti Shanizal, who is from Seremban.  She will be doing ACCA in Sunway College, commencing her course in January 2024.

Unfortunately, Nurmysara’s father passed away in 2018 from an illness.  Before the COVID-19 pandemic, her mother worked part-time as a baker in a small-scale business to support the family. However, with the pandemic and the ensuing lockdown, she could no longer continue in the business, which of course adversely affected her income.  Subsequently, her mother fell ill with rheumatism and psoriasis, hence even though there is no longer any lockdown, her mother has not been able to work.  Her source of income comes from Baitulmal and SOCSO disability pension.

Nurmysara has 2 older sisters (one of whom is pursuing a degree aided by a scholarship and the other is a school teacher), an older brother (also in university on a JPA scholarship) and a younger brother still in secondary school.

Here is a photo of her family – for easy reference, Nurmysara has named everyone in it.

Ching Zhen Hin

Zhen Hin is pursuing a Diploma in Business Administration at Sunway College.  The youngest of 3 siblings, his father is a lorry driver and his mother is a baby-sitter.  The family lives in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Lee Jie Peng

From Johor Bahru, Jie is Peng studying for a degree in Electronic Engineering with Honours at the Universiti Technologi Malaysia in Johor.  As his father (who was a mechanic) passed away in 2022, his mum is now the sole breadwinner in the family – she works as a clerk in a bookstore.  His elder sister is also studying in UTM, on a Kuok Foundation scholarship.

Wong Chun Hao

Chun Hao also aspires to be an engineer – he is pursuing a Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering with Honours at the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka.  His father was diagnosed with throat cancer and then suffered a stroke when Chun Hao was still in primary school. He was then forced to stop working as an excavator driver in 2012. His mum has been working as a childcare-giver to support the family. His eldest brother lost his job during the pandemic and is still unemployed. One elder sister is working while another sister is studying at the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, with the aid of a PTPTN loan.  The family lives in the Kepong/Selayang area.

Attached are photos of Ching Zhen Hin and Wong Chun Hao signing their Scholarship Agreements.  There is also a photo of Lee Jie Peng with his mother.