Listening ear: Unitar has put in place a framework that provides both financial and emotional support.
THE mental health care of Malaysia’s B40 community has taken a significant hit amid rising living costs and limited access to professional care.
With a mean monthly household income of RM3,401, children and youth in B40 families are at higher risk of financial, educational and mental health problems, statistics department data reveal.
To ensure the well-being of its students, Unitar International University has stepped up with a holistic framework that provides both financial and emotional support, said Assoc Prof and psychologist Dr Brendan J. Gomez (pic).
The integrated model ensures that no student is left behind, whether their challenges are financial, emotional or academic.
The varsity, he said, has taken an early intervention approach by giving students access to professionally trained counsellors across its campuses nationwide.
Without support, students risk burnout, dropping out, and long-term setbacks.
“Early intervention is critical. When financial pressure builds, mental health is the first to suffer.
“We are providing free counselling for students who might otherwise suffer in silence,” he said, adding that when students feel heard and supported, challenges become manageable.
Unitar College Kota Kinabalu senior mental health counsellor Jumrah Saifuddin said many of its students in Sabah come from families where survival takes precedence over emotional well-being.
“Mental health is often viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity.
“These youths face intense pressures, from financial hardship to academic stress and family challenges.
“For those in rural areas, awareness of mental health support is limited, and they often turn to peers instead of professionals,” she said, adding that Unitar is working to change that by making mental health care that feel safe, accessible and normal, especially for those who have never had access to it.
To assist underprivileged youth, the varsity has adopted a multipronged approach comprising financial aid, scholarships and strategic partnerships with various quarters, including state-level authorities.
Unitar International University vice-chancellor Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar said education is more than textbooks and classrooms; it is about shaping futures.
“Our scholarships are designed to lift the financial weight from our students.
“By combining financial aid with access to trained mental health counsellors, we are nurturing talent in a holistic way, equipping students not just to graduate, but to enter the marketplace career-ready, confident and resilient,” he said in a recent press release.
