The 74-year-old Pure Life Society in Puchong, which has nurtured over 2,000 under-privileged children since its founding in 1950 and is currently home to more than sixty from diverse cultures, now draws entirely from renewable energy thanks to a RM52,000 donation from OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad (OCBC Bank) and its staff, adding to the RM131,500 it contributed earlier in 2022.

With this, the Bank has contributed a total of RM183,500 to sustainability at the Pure Life Society.

The new solar panels installed at the boys’ dormitory represent the finishing touch to the organisation’s total reliance on renewable energy following the installation of solar panels at the Main Wing (comprising the administrative building and girls’ dormitory) in conjunction with the Bank’s 90^th anniversary back in 2022.

The RM52,000 solar panels at the boys’ dormitory came via a combination of RM26,000 in corporate OCBC Bank funds through its Puchong branch and another RM26,000 from the Bank’s staff.

The Bank had earlier invited staff to elect whether to receive a certain corporate gift from it or to channel the funds to Pure Life Society, with a large chunk choosing the latter. Along with this, staff were invited to donate their OCBC Flex$ to the cause as well if they wished to.

Pure Life Society and OCBC Bank Puchong branch representatives all-smiles at the newly-installed solar panels at the Home

The solar panels project was carried out in collaboration with Bolt Industries Sdn Bhd.

According to Dato V. L. Kandan, Vice President of Pure Life Society, the eco-friendly upgrade at the boys’ dormitory will help to save an additional RM811 in monthly electricity bills whilst reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 1,205kg every month for the next 25 years, the life span of the solar modules.

“With the completion of the project, we will be saving a total of RM2,514 and reducing GHG emissions by 3,728kg. We are truly blessed to have the entire home now fully reliant on renewable energy. OCBC Bank kept its word to us after completing installing solar panels in the Main Wing (comprising the administrative building and girls’ dormitory) when they said they would find a way to ensure the energy used for the boys’ wing was also sustainably produced. With this, we can avail more funds to meeting the pressing needs of the children especially in education and digital literacy,” he said.

According to OCBC Puchong Branch Senior Manager Ms Tan Yun Yun, the Bank strives to not only provide its customers with sustainable banking solutions that are tailored to their needs but also to engage local communities on social and environmental initiatives that uplift them. Our aspiration to be Asia’s leading financial services partner for a sustainable future, extends beyond our customers. We want to be the bank that enables the communities around us to realise their aspirations as well.

“We are glad to have been of assistance to Pure Life Society in making it possible for the entire building to draw from renewable energy. With this, the savings from the monthly expenditure on electricity bills can be used for other purposes for the orphans,” she said.