WHERE KINDNESS GROWS: A SMALL GARDEN WITH A BIG HEART

USM PENANG, 28 July 2026 - Beside an office at Universiti Sains Malaysia lies a modest collection of potted plants. There are no elaborate signboards, formal launch ceremonies or grand claims. Yet, quietly growing in this small corner of the campus are lemon, lime and mulberry plants and with them, a meaningful lesson about sustainability, generosity and our shared responsibility towards Mother Earth.

The garden is cared for by Associate Professor Dr Paramjit Singh Jamir Singh of the School of Social Sciences, USM. An academic in the Social Work Programme, he spends part of his free time in the evenings tending to the plants after a full day of academic and administrative responsibilities as Deputy Dean.

“I usually tend to the plants in the evening. It is a simple activity that I enjoy during my free time,” he said.

All the plants are grown organically in pots, showing that cultivating food does not necessarily require a large area, expensive facilities or sophisticated equipment. A small available space, when combined with patience and consistent care, can gradually become productive and meaningful.

“Anyone can take them. Students, staff members or anyone who would like some are welcome to enjoy the fruits,” Paramjit said.

More importantly, the fruits are not grown solely for his own consumption.

This open invitation gives the small garden a deeper purpose. It transforms a personal hobby into a shared campus resource and reflects values such as generosity, trust, community ownership and care for the environment

A lemon, lime or mulberry picked by a passer-by may appear to be a small gesture, but it creates a sense that the campus belongs to everyone and that its resources can be nurtured and shared collectively.

The initiative may also be seen as a simple expression of the values associated with social work improving well-being, strengthening communities and ensuring that available resources benefit others.

The plants are cared for by one individual, but their benefits are made available to the wider university community.

Before entering academia, Paramjit served as a police inspector and was actively involved in criminal investigations. Although his professional setting has changed, his commitment to serving society continues through teaching, research, community engagement and small personal initiatives such as this garden.

This small garden shows that sustainability can begin with something as simple as making good use of an available space, growing plants organically and sharing the harvest with others. In its own quiet way, the garden supports healthier living, greener surroundings and a stronger sense of community, while reminding us that caring for the planet begins with the choices we make every day.

USM is already recognised as one of the world’s sustainability leaders, ranking fifth globally in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, while also retaining the world’s top position for SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Paramjit’s little garden gives that global achievement a warm and personal face, showing how sustainability can also flourish through ordinary actions undertaken by members of the campus community.

Imagine more herbs, vegetables and fruit trees growing beside offices, schools and student residences planted not for decoration alone, but for everyone to enjoy. A pot here and a plant there could gradually turn overlooked corners of the campus into welcoming spaces that encourage sharing, conversation and care for the environment.

Paramjit makes no grand claims about his garden. He simply plants, tends and shares its produce freely with students and staff. That simplicity is what makes the initiative appealing and worthy of emulation.

His message to the campus community is refreshingly practical: begin with whatever space is available, grow what you can and share what Mother Earth provides.

After all, caring for the planet does not always begin with a major project. Sometimes, it starts quietly beside an office; with a simple pot, a growing plant and a generous heart.