Be A Buddy, Not A Bully was created in 2017 as a community project, benefiting 500 students of a local primary school. With increasing demand from public and schools, JCI Bandar Klang increased its campaign to 10 schools in 2018, benefiting more than 50,000 students in Klang. Better known as Buddy Not Bully (BNB), it was awarded Best Local Peace Project in Malaysia by JCI Malaysia in 2018. 2018 campaign set its focus to create awareness in shared goals of peace, harmony and kindness, inclusion, and acceptance amongst the young generations as they believe that awareness and prevention should start from young. Collaborations with other NGOs, namely Gerakan Belia Bersatu Malaysia (Bukit Tinggi Klang) and Wu Association Klang and Impress Academy enabled the campaign to reach a larger acommunity to promote and advocate kindness, peace and understanding. BE A BUDDY, NOT A BULLY (BNB) is an antibullying campaign that aims to prepare children through sharing, talks, drawing competitions and nationwide video contest. With knowledge, we hope young children, teachers, schools
and community are there to protect victims should any form of bullying takes place.
PROJECT RESULT
All forms of violence and bullying in schools infringe the fundamental right to education and unsafe learning environments reduce the quality of education for all learners. No country can achieve inclusive and equitable quality education if learners experience violence in school. School violence and bullying can also seriously harm the health and well-being of children and adolescents with the adverse effects persisting into adulthood. This campaign was met with an impressive participation of 10,000 people by far. This solidifies the importance of BE A BUDDY, NOT A BULLY campaign and the enthusiasm of the participants to address bullying issue. 50000 students, 1000 parents, 500 teachers, 200 volunteers and other NGO members, 50 JCI members, 5 district education department officers, 5 police officers and 3 self-defense masters. Our campaign opened doors for discussions amongst school staff and created awareness in the school children that bullying is not acceptable and should never be tolerated. Bullying can have negative short and long-term consequences for both the victim and the bully. Having a
school that is equipped to deal with bullying can prevent the adverse impact on academic achievement and attainment and on future education and employment prospects.
WHAT IMPACT HAS THIS PROJECT CREATED IN THE COMMUNITY / NATION?
By having Be A Buddy, Not A Bully, the community were brought together to keep bullying prevention at school active and focused. School staff are now more equipped in identifying and preventing bullying cases and protecting students. Parents, youth and the community realized the importance of their role in contributing to PEACE where Peace Is Possible only when each and every one plays their role. Although much bullying happens at school, bullying doesn’t stop at the schoolhouse door. It also occurs in the community—wherever children and youth are.
HOW HAS THIS PROJECT HELP TO ADVANCE THE CHOSEN SDG?
Action on school violence and bullying is important to achieve the goals on quality education and good health and wellbeing for young people. Agenda 2030 addresses violence against children as a cross-cutting concern, and includes concrete commitments under a number of goals and targets. In particularly, under Sustainable Development Goal 16, it highlights the importance of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and providing access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Be A Buddy, Not A Bully project in overall, addressed Target 16.1 where it significantly reduced all forms of violence including bullying and death rates related to such violence in Malaysia entirely starting from Klang.
THE TAGLINE FOR UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (UNSDGS) IS “LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND.” EXPLAIN HOW YOUR PROJECT HELPS TO REALIZE THE COMMITMENT OF UNSDGS FOR THE FUTURE.
The Sustainable Development Goals have been designed to be both genuinely transformational, while at the same time allowing each country scope to implement them as most relevant to their domestic context. The Leave No One Behind Pledge is arguably the most important element of the 2030 Agenda which is the key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. BE A BUDDY, NOT A BULLY is outright providing life-long learning in soft skills which addresses Target 4.7 and 4.A. We targeted public schools which have the potential to create an environment where attitudes concerning violence and gender can be changed and non-violent behavior can be learned. We aim to end discrimination against girls in schools, public and private spheres which often comes in the form of bullying and violence. The project provides the opportunity for all to learn and accept that all genders are equal and bullying shall never occur because of gender and Creates the platform to address mental and emotional health issues. The main aim of BE A BUDDY, NOT A BULLY will help parents and teachers to tackle students with depression, anxiety, low selfesteem and develop suicidal thoughts caused by bullying.
create an environment where
attitudes concerning violence and
gender can be changed and nonviolent behavior can be learned
