Amidst the lively atmosphere of ISKL’s hallways, where locker doors echo and student conversations hum, a significant initiative has taken root. Led by the High School Service Council, a group of passionate and dedicated students have been involved in a transformative journey into services and sustainability: an upcycling initiative.
The club has partnered with the nonprofit social organization Greater Action to create an initiative that provides upcycled products. The initiative aims to reduce waste by repurposing items that would otherwise end up in landfills. Julia C. (’25), a student leader of the club, shares, “We’ve turned unwanted uniforms from Lost and Found into new, high-quality items like scrunchies and pencil cases, which we’re now selling at the Panther Hut.”
Julia explains the objectives of the Service Council’s upcycling project: “Our goal is to educate our school community about environmental sustainability and the negative impact of fast fashion. Additionally, we aim to empower our partners, Super Soapers and Greater Action, who support valuable causes.” The Super Soapers is a student-run laundry business that services various Middle and High School departments, including food tech, art, and music. This business is solely run by MS students in the Panther Den community. On the other hand, Greater Action is a dynamic, non-profit social organization that is 100% volunteer-driven. Their core mission is to assist marginalized refugee families with quality education, sustainable livelihood opportunities, artist development, much-needed general and mental healthcare, and the inducement of women’s empowerment.
Julia also elaborates on the benefits of collaboration with these partners, highlighting how it enhances students’ life skills training and supports the livelihoods of refugee women in Malaysia by teaching skills and providing employment opportunities. She adds, “It’s a significant step for the ISKL community to contribute to such a sustainable initiative while demonstrating our commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for responsible consumption and production.”
Julia further explains how the upcycling initiative works like a business and how the Service Council aims to raise enough from the sales to sustain the project and continue working with current and future partners. “Greater Action receives most of the proceeds in the fees they charge for producing the goods, which will, in turn, support their organization and the women working there. However, the Service Council’s profit will be allocated to paying for the next batch of products and future endeavors that will also target the SDG goals,” shares Julia.
Urging the ISKL Community to support this student initiative to reduce waste, upcycled clothing, and empower internal and external stakeholders who support valuable causes, Julia shares, “Our initiative empowers students to reflect and confront if they are indeed ‘Living Ethically,’ an ISKL value that “demonstrates one’s personal and social responsibility in the way we care and work to improve conditions for ourselves, others, and this place.”
Kudos to the Service Council for their remarkable efforts in inspiring students to lead sustainable projects and adopt an altruistic attitude towards society. Their work is a testament to the fact that even small actions can significantly impact the world. Thank you for showing us that we all have the power to make a difference. Visit the Panther Hut to get hold of one of these unique items!
