LIFETIME PHILANTHROPIST

Hajah Kamariah Mohd Shah

Download the full profile here📄

The Akademi Tenggara’s Hajah Kamariah Scholarship stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication to community welfare and philanthropy of Hajah Kamariah Mohd Shah. Named in her honor, this scholarship body was inspired by Hajah Kamariah’s extensive involvement in her local community, where her acts of kindness, charity, and commitment to improving the lives of others became a source of hope and inspiration. 

Hajah Kamariah Mohd Shah did not have the opportunity to pursue higher education, yet she dedicated her life to raising her five children, who have all gone on now to become intellectuals and corporate leaders. While managing her household as a stay-at-home mother, she sought knowledge in informal ways. In the decades when she was raising her family (long before the era of YouTube, cable TV and the internet), Hajah Kamariah would cycle tens of kilometers to attend classes. Her determination to learn, often cycling great distances while her children were in school, reflects her lifelong commitment to education and self-improvement. This dedication serves as one of the key inspirations for the Hajah Kamariah Scholarship, which aims to empower others through the pursuit of knowledge. 

The Hajah Kamariah Scholarship was launched to support students from low-income backgrounds, particularly the B40 community. It began by covering first-semester fees for two outstanding SPM students, helping them pursue higher education without financial burdens.