MALAYSIA - ABOUT 80 underprivileged children took part in a team building programme at Nur Lembah Pangsun Eco-resort in Hulu Langat, Selangor, recently.

The children, aged between 4 and 18, were from Sunbeams Home, Tara Bhavan Home for Children and Yayasan Seni Karya Prihatin Malaysia.

It was the children's second team building programme organised by F&N Coca-Cola.

The company's national corporate affairs manager, Datuk Kamal Harun, said the programme was to boost self-confidence, develop camaraderie and foster racial unity among the children.

"It offers a good environment for the children to build trust, learn more about one another, and work together to meet a common goal.

"I am proud to see how the children have grown. They are more motivated, responsible, confident and at ease with one another," he said.

The day started with the children divided into eight teams. The teams competed in various games for the chance to be champions of the day.

The "magic carpet" ride had the children relying heavily on teamwork. They had to trust each other for support as they jumped from one mat on to another.

In the "waste-no-water" challenge, each team was required to get a ping pong ball out of a container with holes by filling it with water.

"It was a challenge to close the holes. Although we did not win, we had fun and even got wet," said Nur Ayuni Mohd, 16, of Yayasan Seni Karya Prihatin Malaysia.

They also enjoyed activities such as "spider walking" where teams had to carry an egg on a "spider web" made of strings from one place to another, and using their creativity to come up with different ways to carry a pail of water using a rope.

"This year's programme is much better because we got to play on the 'flying fox'. I went on it twice," said Sam Chun Wai, 12, of Sunbeams Home.