Ethan (centre) with his mum Catherine Ng, sister Caitlin (right), Toni Brendish, Danone Dumex's managing director, and some of the children from the homes.

Ethan Ng's face said it all. The soon-to-be four-year-old was excited. He was going to have a birthday party, hosted by Danone Dumex (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, with cake, sand art, a clown and games. But best of all, he would have special guests at his party – children from Rumah Amal Kasih Bestari, Desa Amal Jireh, PSPK Selayang and Rumah Aman.

It was his mother Catherine Ng's dream for him that he should share his birthday joy with the underprivileged. It was a dream she had written down and submitted to Danone Dumex as part of its “Peraduan Impian Ceria Si Manjaku” contest.

Catherine was one of the eight winners of the contest announced at Ethan's big birthday party held at a hotel in Subang Jaya recently.

Said Catherine: “We do a lot of charity work at Maxis (where I work) and with my church and because of that I wanted to expose my children to community work and giving back to the community. We want to teach them certain values which are important to us like kindness and being compassionate.

“My elder daughter Caitlin and Ethan have in the past accompanied me when I've bought provisions and distributed them at homes for the less fortunate. I want them to also know that certain other children are not as privileged as they are. I thought this 'dream' would be a good opportunity for the kids to celebrate with other children. When Dumex said we won we were quite happy because they could finally have a big event where everyone could take part. Ethan has been excited about the party from yesterday when we told him about it.”
 

Some of the children from the homes who were guests at Ethan's birthday party.

Catherine was among thousands who submitted their dreams for their children. The contest was held in May this year and from the entries eight lucky parents were chosen as the winners. The winners were chosen based on creativity and those that were making a difference to the child, to society, the environment as well as the child's education. This was the first time the contest was being held but Danone Dumex said it hopes to have the contest again in future.

Toni Brendish, Danone Dumex's managing director, said, “ As a child nutrition provider that has grown with the nation for more than 50 years, Danone Dumex understands that all parents dream to craft a healthy and happy childhood for their children. For this reason, we are always looking at ways to express our appreciation to generations of Malaysian parents for their continuous support and trust that have made Dumex a market leader today. The 'Peraduan Impian Ceria Si Manjaku' contest is an extension of our gratitude to parents and to give their children an opportunity to partake in a dream experience.”

The other seven winners are:
Ermah Baharin who wants her daughter Nurul Ain Syafiqah to meet her grandmother in Sandakan, Sabah, for the first time.
Heng Siew Choo whose dream is for her child Pang Kean Ming to visit a planetarium.
Izawati Jais who wants to instill a strong sense of responsibility and appreciation for the environment in her son Ibad Idraki. They will be growing a herb garden at home.
Noor Liyana Md Noor who dreams of having a comprehensive library at home for her son Muhammad Naufal.
Mohd Faizal Khalid who wants his son Faris Hadif to sleep in a colourful Impian Ceria bedroom.
Hong Ling Ling whose dream is to have her son Darren learn a musical instrument so he can perform for his ailing grandmother.
Suzaimi Idris who wants to recreate his wedding day for his daughter Nur Izlyn to witness.

The other winners will have their dreams fulfilled over the next three months.