Granny’s social work inspired law student at a tender age
KUALA LUMPUR: When Mohamed Nazri Prem Nasir was just five years old, his grandmother would bring him along to an orphanage to accompany her while she carried out social work.
Little did he know this would be a turning point in his life.
“She volunteered as a cook. There, I saw another side of the world.
“Kids were struggling for basic needs and I told myself that once I grew up, I must do something to make their lives better,” said Mohamed Nazri, who is now 22.
He carried this reminder with him over the years and as a tertiary student at Universiti Malaya, he discovered his passion for empowering underprivileged communities.
Mohamed Nazri’s efforts aim to empower children from underprivileged communities. — IZZRAFIQ ALIAS/The Star
In 2020, he took the first step by distributing food donations to the needy in Kepong at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We found that most children there had limited access to education.
“Then, the idea of free online tuition programmes came up and we focused more on children whose parents were e-hailing drivers.
“We initially had just 20 students. Along the way, we realised there were even more issues that needed to be addressed,” said the third-year law student.
Besides education, Mohamed Nazri has also pursued initiatives focusing on financial literacy and mental health.
This led to him founding Bina Malaysia, a non-governmental organisation aimed at empowering underprivileged children and youth with education, life skills and hope.
Mohamed Nazri’s book educating children on sexual grooming has been distributed in other Asean countries.
Among the notable programmes he has since implemented are Nenje Ezhu (Tamil for Rise Up), focusing on children from Tamil vernacular schools.
“There is a stigma that these students don’t really transition well in secondary schools, and the language barrier makes it difficult for them to access wider education resources,” he said.
“Here, we carry out programmes to boost their confidence and broaden their perspectives on aspects that can be explored in secondary school.”
He added that mentors will be assigned to monitor the children’s progress to ensure that they can access tertiary education.
Mohamed Nazri also carries out Projek Lindung, which focuses on sexual grooming awareness. This saw him publishing a storybook that educates children on aspects such as good touch, bad touch, relationships and what to do if a child has been sexually groomed.
His project Nenje Ezhu focuses on empowering children from Indian vernacular schools.
The book has since been published in 10 languages and distributed across other Asean countries. It is also recognised in the Malaysia Book of Records.
“Whenever I travel to schools, there are bound to be cases where children open up about being victims.
“This is a big stigma as adults don’t really speak about these things openly with their children.
“Groomers take advantage of this to prey on innocent children.
“Through this project, we teach children how to seek help and where they can do so,” he said.
Mohamed Nazri and his team also took on ABC Duit, a project designed to empower underprivileged communities on financial literacy.
“The focus is on teaching children from lower income groups the importance of investing in education.
“Here, they learn about budgeting for education as well as skills like basic designing and public speaking,” he added.
He also said all the programmes have follow-up measures to ensure a long-term impact on the beneficiaries.
“These programmes are carried out at least three times a month and are free for beneficiaries.
“Funding is generated through sponsorships and donations.
“A big challenge is our age, as people may look down on us. That is why I always make it a point to ensure our impact can be seen and felt,” he noted.
“This is the message I share with my team.”
According to Mohamed Nazri, there is close coordination with state education authorities to identify schools that may require intervention measures.
The importance of education, he added, was also instilled in him at an early age by his parents.
“My father is a taxi driver and my mother works at a fast food chain. They did not have education certificates, but their message on the importance of education has been deeply ingrained in me,” he said.
Despite carrying out such works at a young age, Mohamed Nazri has already had the privilege of seeing their impact.
“One of the students whom I personally taught scored straight As in her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examinations last year.
“She is now also pursuing law studies,” he said.
On being named a winner of the Star Golden Hearts Award (SGHA), Mohamed Nazri said the recognition is much more than just a trophy.
“It is hope for children from underprivileged communities.
“I want them to have hope and an opportunity to change their lives for the better,” he said.
For his noble efforts, Mohamed Nazri has been named one of the 10 winners of the SGHA 2025.
SGHA is an annual award by The Star that honours everyday Malaysian unsung heroes.
For details, visit sgha.com.my.
