One for the album
Beds are desperately needed in Taman Sinar Harapan
How are you, mama, this resident was greeting Mrs Chow, family of KC Yap, wife Timmy and mother in-law with their children at the background
Veon is giving out Pooh and Sponge Bob
This is the closest picture I can get looking inside the ward
Sheer happy faces
We spotted ants underneath the beds
Every efforts is worthwhile
Wards for the heavily mentally challenged residents
Villi is seen here giving out fish to Jasmine Chong. Looking on are brothers Yap Liang on the right and Yap Yang on the left who sponsored the fishes
Did you see the smile on their faces? Wonders of the Pooh and the fighting fish
Me, giving thank you note to all participants for their contributions
This is the famous artist (Mr Lam Kwai Fatt) using his toes to draw pictures and sell to the public to raise fund for the centre
Guess what, fighting fish...a sold out item in seconds
Toilet rolls are on the wanted list too...
My lovely relative made homebaked mooncake for them
Microwave could be useful to the kitchen
Hair cutter is even more useful, I thought
Blankets & diapers are the most wanted
Here comes the goodies
En. Azwan from Taman Sinar Harapan KKB giving us a welcome briefing
Taklimat ( Briefing time)
My fellow blogging friends, Ali and Lisa from MISC
8 Cars pooled together
Young and old come together for a good cause
Group meet at the Rawang Toll
Came back from visiting Taman Sinar Harapan, Kuala Kubu Bahru, I was wrecked. Exhausted by the pass few days' hectic schedule of buying stuff and the recent bad weather fueled my adrenaline with constant prayers for a smooth day for today. Down pour came on our way home, I guess that was the best I could asked from God, the almighty. Guards down when we all arrived home safely.
Taman Sinar Harapan, word for word translation is = Garden of Sunshine and Hope.
I saw sunshine, and I saw pretty gardens. Flowers are blooming better than that in our yards at home. But I didn't see hope in most of the residents' eyes. 80% of them are bedridden and mildly mentally challenged except a few who are able to walk about at the centre's compound. Some of those sitting or even standing on the metal bed are tied with chain and padlocked on one of their ankles, as clothe lines or bandages are not effective to confine them. Their diapers are full with all you could imagine and ants were seen crawling around the beds.
Those residents who are more seriously mentally challenged are grouped in enclosed areas dividing between male and female. Their lives are so dependent on others including filling their stomach when hungry. Most of them are naked and sleeping on wet floors, some were seen with feces in between their legs. According to the Officer, En Azwan, their bodies do not respond to the living environment and therefore will not feel cold even in a cold night.
We were neither allowed to take any pictures nor video taping inside the dormitory (Asrama), I guess it is only fair. By now, you should have a grim picture in your mind. Let me ask you one question, feeling for those residents is obvious; But do you feel for the workers who are taking care of them?
My blog is to help create awareness to the world that there are unfortunate human beings born to this world with abnormality and living in solitude. They can't demand or ask for people to visit, because some couldn't speak, some couldn't see and some couldn't hear, but they can feel our touches and strokes and they do respond by way of giggles or laughters, you tell me, don't they have feelings? I wonder if they cry at night...
I AM ONLY ONE, BUT STILL I AM ONE. I CANNOT DO EVERYTHING, BUT STILL I CAN DO SOMETHING. AND BECAUSE I CANNOT DO EVERYTHING, I WILL NOT REFUSE TO DO SOMETHING THAT I CAN DO. ~ Helen Keller
