A total of 13 visits were organized. Due to resources constraint, we were not able to arrange for follow-up visits to the other seven beneficiaries. Efforts have been made to obtain reports from the respective organizations

12 January 2010
Persatuan Orang-orang Cacat Anggota Malaysia

The first follow-up visit was to Persatuan Orang-orang Cacat Anggota Malaysia, located in Jalan Gurney, Kuala Lumpur. Providing training and support for its members, the organization had earlier planned to convert part of its premises into a gymnasium to be utilized by its members.
However, as there was an urgent need to re-do another section of their premises into an accommodation facility, the organization decided to part with some of the funds received for that purpose. The accommodation will be used by their out-station members who are in KL for medical and training purposes. At the time of visit, the organization was sourcing for quotations from contractors and renovations are expected to complete by the 3rd quarter of the year.

23 January 2010
Lotus Planet Street Food Programme

A group of Bursa volunteers visited the Lotus Planet’s Street Food programme in action. The visit started off in Damansara where we observed the packing of food in their central ‘kitchen’. We saw volunteers from all walks of life packed a total of 500 packets of ‘nasi lemak’, buns and bottled drinks. These were then brought to an area off Menara Dayabumi where long queues of homeless and urban poor of KL, were already waiting for the free food. Also at this weekly scene were volunteers from the medical fraternity who helped out with minor ailments of these unfortunate people. Funds received from the Rat Race were used for the continuation of the street food programme, and other maintenance costs for the ‘kitchen’. 26 January 2010 – Persatuan Kebajikan Rumah Perlindungan Teratak Nur Insan (NURI) KL &
Selangor NURI, a home for orphaned and poor children, is situated in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. It currently houses close to 30 children who come from Selangor and the neighboring areas in KL. The funds received in October 2009 were used for the upkeep and maintenance of the home, and to fund the children’s schooling and activities. The visit to NURI was also participated by volunteers from CELCOM, one of 2009 Rat Race’s Gold Sponsors. 2 February 2010 – Malaysian Rare Disorders Society Housed in University Malaya’s Medical Centre in Petaling Jaya, this society promotes awareness about rare disorders and genetic conditions, and promotes research for it prevention and treatment. This society is founded and championed by a group of parents whose immediate family members are inflicted by such disorders. The society intended to utilize the Rat Race funds received for a book project that focus on Malaysians living with rare disorders.

9 February 2010
Persatuan SLE Malaysia

Persatuan SLE Malaysia, provides social and psychological support to members, and financial assistance to needy SLE patients. The society is mostly managed by surviving SLE patients who are passionate about creating awareness about the disease, and providing assistance to members and the general public. Despite renting a tiny office located on the third floor of Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Petaling Jaya, the office bearers of the society showed great enthusiasm when describing about their past and upcoming activities. The Rat Race funds received were used for setting-up patient support groups for SLE patients in Johor and Sarawak.
18 February 2010 – Independent Living and Training Centre Selangor & WP (ILTC)
The Independent Living & Training Centre Selangor & WP is another organization which is managed by the members themselves. Wheelchair-bound members greeted us when we visited them in their office in Rawang, Selangor. ILTC trains disabled people in vocational and technical skills for possible employment opportunities.

The Rat Race funds were used for its new leadership and capacity building programmes for its members.

25 February 2010
Persatuan Penjagaan Kanak-kanak Cacat Klang

Housing close to 70 special children ranging from newborn to 18 year olds, the organization provides support and care for these physically and mentally handicapped children. At the visit, we were greeted by a number of these children who were not at school due to the home’s van breakdown. While the bigger children were aimlessly mingling with themselves at the home’s covered porch, the younger and the weaker ones, were inside the house either laying in cots or staring into space. It was indeed an awakening for the volunteers. Not only were we enlightened by the plight of these children, we were also overwhelmed with the commitment of the care-givers. The organization’s plan to purchase physio and medical equipment, and partly for the
upkeep of the home, will indeed be worthwhile.

3 March 2010
Women’s Aid Organisation

Women’s Aid Organisation or better known as WAO, provides refuge and shelter services for battered women and their children. In addition, they also provide telephone and face to face counseling for women in need of help, regardless of race and nationality. Meeting Ivy Josiah and her team of counselors, made us aware of the compelling issue of women abuse in Malaysia. The Rat Races funds received helped to set up a Crisis Intervention Service to help intervene and mediate women in trouble.

17 March 2010
Second Chance Community Home

Catering mainly for persons discharged from correctional centres, Second Chance Community Home facilitates an ex-offender’s re-entry into society through vocational training, education, and job placement. Close to 15 residents are able to stay in this Home at one time, and a number of them have been reconciled with their families. The group of volunteers had the opportunity to talk to one of the residents who have been at the Home for many years and has regarded it as his own home. Although he has left his bad habits, he decided that it was best to stay there and help around the Home.

The Home used part of the funds received to equip and renovate a workshop located behind the house which will enable the residents to arm themselves with general repair skills. A number of the residents have found jobs after acquiring skills from this Home.

24 March 2010
Rumah Shalom

We visited Rumah Shalom in Puchong on 24 March 2010. Rumah Shalom provides shelter and care for children from poor and broken families. Most of the children are under 17, and many of them are either abused or abandoned.

The management of Rumah Shalom used the Rat Race funds to set up an education resource centre that consist of a library, counseling room, computer section and a music room. These will benefit the children under their care especially during weekends and school holidays. At the time of visit, the centre was ready but yet to be fully utilized.

8 April 2010
Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation – National Centre

Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation is committed to the education of children with Down Syndrome up to the age of 6. The Foundation has seven centres throughout Malaysia with its national centre in Petaling Jaya.

Based on strong support from parents and family members, the foundation came up with a special project, named Project 7, which provides continuity in structured education for Down Syndrome children above 6 years old who would be or have recently entered mainstream primary schools. This project, led by a group of passionate parents, complements the mainstream education system that may not provide a wholesome education opportunity for these special children. The funds from the Rat Race were used to develop an educational syllabus and supporting materials that will cater to these children’s needs.

13 April 2010
Yayasan Pembangunan Nur Hikmah

Yayasan Pembangunan Nurhikmah, located in Kajang, Selangor, provides support services and care for the welfare of orphans, single mothers, the poor and the underprivileged. It supports close to 300 orphans, single mothers and poor families in Selangor, KL, Perak and Pahang.

Initially intended to purchase a multipurpose vehicle to help ease mobilization of their activities, the Rat Race funds were instead used to fund programmes and activities that benefitted children under their care, especially in school preparations and remedial activities.

Early this year, the organisation changed its name to Yayasan Keusahawanan Sosial Malaysia to better reflect its changed focus in building entrepreneurial skills amongst the poor and the underprivileged to improve their standard of living. The organisation’s goal is to empower these target audience to help sustain their own lives and not continuously depend on community help.

27 April 2010
St Barnabas Home

The visit to St Barnabas Home in Klang took place on 27 April 2010. The Home which provides shelter to orphaned and abused children, houses 22 children in a three-floor facility located within the St Barnabas Church premises.

The management of the Home, who were all volunteers and retirees, proudly showed off their brand new van, which was the Golden Wheels project, funded solely by the Rat Race funds received. The van will be used to transport children under their care to school and back, and to bring them around for activities.