Good Day For ILTC's Member

On 23rd October 2008 a group of Kiyota high school, Sapparo, Japan arrived at ILTC with special gift of 4 best wheelchairs towards disabled members.
I take this opportunity to thank Ryosuke Muramatsu, the coordinator of Go! Fly! Wheelchairs.
We also had a good time with them which sharing our daily activities and our objectives. We hope the information given by us would be sufficient for them.We hope and welcome again the student of Kiyota High School in next year.

Rotary club presents vocational service awards to top individuals

Wednesday October 29, 2008

Rotary club presents vocational service awards to top individuals
By STUART MICHAEL

FOUR people including a disabled couple received the Vocational Service Award from the Rotary Club of Damansara at a function in Kuala Lumpur last Thursday.

The recipients were Dr Hartini Zainudin, Tamil Selvi Velloo, Gurdip Kaur and her husband Francis Sivasangararao.

Rotary Club of Damansara Vocational Service Award director Johan Nicholason said, every year since the club was set up 28 years ago, it honoured people who deserved the recognition.
In appreciation: Usha (left) presenting the awards to Gurdip and her husband Francis at the event in Kuala Lumpur recently

“Many people do charity work without thinking about their welfare and money they spend. They do it because of their passion and this is what the award is all about,” he said.

“Some are not appreciated in the community and we want to show them they are appreciated by our club,’’ said Nicholason, who presented the awards together with Rotary Club of Damansara president Usha Rajasingam.

Dr Hartini, a consultant at Pusat Jagaan Nur Salam and Rumah Jagaan Kanak Kanak at Chow Kit in Kuala Lumpur, has worked with the half-way-house on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week basis at the crisis centre for underprivileged, abused and deprived children.

Selvi, a nurse at University of Malaysia Medical Centre (UMMC) and a committee member of the Breast Cancer Association of Kuala Lumpur, was recognised for her care for cancer patients at UMMC.

Selvi was awarded the Piala Cemerlang by UMMC in 2002 for her service.

Gurdip and Francis are a couple who were disabled due to spinal injuries.

Gurdip was disabled in a fall in 1993 and Francis in a car accident in 1986.

Both overcame the odds and started helping fellow disabled persons by setting up the Independent Living and Training Centre in Rawang nine years ago.

Gurdip was awarded the Disabled Woman Worker of the Year Award in 2003 by former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Francis was awarded the Disabled Man Worker of the Year Award in 2005 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Both of these events werre organised by Perkeso.

"Many people do charity work without thinking about their welfare and the money they spend" - JOHAN NICHOLASON

Gurdip is a councillor with Selayang Municipal Council and is determined to help disabled people and the public to solve their many woes in Rawang.

Francis, who founded the Damai Disabled Persons Association of Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan in 1996, has been educating the public on the needs and aspirations of disabled people.

Konsert Deepavali 2008

KONSERT DEEPAVALI 2008

ANJURAN

KOMUNITI INDIA RAWANG - 23 OKTOBER 2008

20 ILTC members were invited to participate at this event.

On the day all the members present were provide good dinner and hampers with a super entertainment.

At the event 3 ILTC members also preformed wheelchair dance to entertained the crowd.

Parents defend learning centre

Thursday October 23, 2008


Parents defend learning centre
By TAN KARR WEI

A GROUP of parents, whose children have learning disabilities have hit out at remarks made by the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) councillor Anthony Thanasayan.

During the last full board meeting, Thanasayan had announced that the council would act on a learning centre for children with disabilities for misuse of building.

He had visited the centre located in SS1, Petaling Jaya, and according to him, some of the children had only mild learning disabilities and should be going to a regular school.

He also commented that the teachers did not have experience working with the children and that the centre did not have the right facilities.

Help us: Some of the parents with the students at the learning centre.

“We want to ask the councillors if they have looked after children with special needs. They may look normal but you don’t know when they would throw a tantrum.

“Of course, we would be happy if our child can get one-to-one attention from teachers but there are no facilities out there,” said Monique Goh, whose 23-year-old son still attends the centre.

Goh and about 10 other parents organised a press conference with the help of the Petaling Jaya Selangor Residents Association (APAC) to voice their support for the centre.

Asella Hew, 46, said that her 16-year-old dyslexic son Matthew Chan attended a regular primary school from Standard One to Six.

“Every year, I had to tell the teachers about his condition. However, with every passing year, his learning ability was still poor. When I started sending him to this centre, he got better. Now, he looks forward to attending school because he has friends that he can relate to,” said Hew.

She hoped that the authorities could look into their plight as there weren’t many resources.

According to Reverend Rudy Liu who runs the centre, they have tried applying to the Education Ministry but were advised to apply through the Welfare Depart-ment because there were students as old as 23 years old.

“The Welfare Department said we could operate as long as we can get approval from the fire and health departments and the MBPJ for our premises,” said Liu.

He said the fire and health departments had already given their approval.

“We are appealing to the MBPJ to look into our plight. If there’s something we’re not doing right, they should assist us. We’re not doing anything illegal. Our operation hours are only from 9am to 3pm,” said Liu.

According to APAC chairman Liew Wei Beng, MBPJ was concerned about the legality of the centre and whether it was accredited.

“There are not many centres providing such facilities so the council could help to find an alternative place if they can’t legalise the place,” said Liew at the meeting.

China disabled art troupe to perform in Malaysia

Thursday October 23, 2008




China disabled art troupe to perform in Malaysia

THE China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe who recently performed at the Beijing Olympics Games 2008 and Paralympic Games , will be in Malaysia on Nov 8 and 9.

This charity show will showcase blind and mute performers from China and our very own Malaysian disabled young adult performers from Rumah Amal Cheshire Selangor, DeafBeat from YMCA Kuala Lumpur, the Independent Living and Training Centre and the Creative Stars.

They will perform at the KLCC Convention Centre, Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur.


Mesmerising: The China’s Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe will perform next month.

The theme of the performance is ‘Realisation to our fullest potential.”

The net proceeds will go to the operating expenses of Amriteswari Foundation of Malaysia’s three community centres in Puchong, Semenyih and Penang. It will also go towards the construction of a new block of building for SJK (C) Chen Moh in Petaling Jaya Old Town.

Tickets, priced between RM60 and RM248, are available from our official ticketing agent, Ticket Pro at 03-7880 7999 or visit http://www.ticketpro.com.my/ or http://www.amriteswarifoundation.org/ or http://www.chenmoh.edu.my/.

Abby’s dream

Thursday October 23, 2008

Lifestyle

Abby’s dream
Wheel Power: By Anthony Thanasayan

A young lady with muscular dystrophy shows her amazing zest for life.

WITH the Festival of Lights around the corner, I was delighted to receive a touching e-mail from Janarthani Arumugam, local councillor for the Kuala Langat District in Selangor.

She writes: “I agree with you that much needs to be done for people with disabilities whom I regard as people with plenty of potential and abilities. A fine example is my newfound friend U. Nyanambigai, or Abby, as she is affectionately known.”

Abby, 24, was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy when she was a child. Her sister Meghala, 22, and brother, Gopi, 20, too have muscular dystrophy.

Muscular dystrophy is a serious condition in which the muscles become progressively weak. Their parents are non-disabled.

The family live in a dilapidated house. Abby and her siblings sleep on a large wooden platform. Because of their weak backs, they often lie on their sides.

“It was their need for special wheelchairs to help them live a little more independently that I got to meet Abby and her siblings,” says Janarthani.

Gopi is the only one with some income. He issues receipts at the local temple, and earns about RM300 a month. Abby was recently nominated for the Most Outstanding Youth of the Year Award 2008 by the Asian Youth Ambassadors (AYA) based in Subang Jaya, Selangor.

“I nominated this inspiring individual for her amazing willpower and tenacity to live an independent life,” says Janarthani. “Abby managed to get an education despite the debilitating circumstances surrounding her.”

Janarthani went on to explain how Abby enlisted the help of a neighbour who owned a van to send Meghala and Gopi to school.

Abby managed to get an internship in the local Waterworks Department during the last semester of her studies. Her mother wheels Abby to the office and back.

The office is located 1km from their home. The trip is made more difficult by the wheelchair’s worn-out wheels and the terrible road condition.

“Her office is also not very disabled friendly,” says Janarthani.

Abby has to wait till she gets home to use the bathroom every day.

“Such conditions can demoralise any young person. Despite this, Abby perseveres which is what I find most admirable about her.”

Abby is passionate about art and computer graphics. Her dream is to study art and design to become independent and support her siblings and parents.

Among Abby’s Deepavali wishes are:

To have suitable wheelchairs and medical cushions for herself and her siblings.

To get a scholarship for further studies.

To get the highest votes via SMS for AYA’s Most Outstanding Youth of the Year Award 2008

To support Abby, please type: AYAY5. Then send it to 36828.

Each SMS will be charged 80 sen. All votes must be submitted before 11.59pm on Nov 2.

For more information, please call Janarthani (016-436 2301).

Government urged to train and hire more disabled people

Tuesday October 21, 2008

Government urged to train and hire more disabled people
Reports by LEE YUK PENG, ZULKIFLI ABD RAHMAN and LISA GOH

EMPLOYMENT opportunities in Government agencies for the disabled was limited as only the welfare department was hiring them, said Nancy Shukri (BN - Batang Sadong).

She said other Government departments did not hire the disabled as recruitment was carried out by the Public Services Department at the federal level and not at state.

“Even if the state departments or agencies recruited the disabled, the number is small,” she said, adding that support from non-governmental organisations and individuals was needed to help the disabled secure jobs.

Nancy also said that the Semarahan Rehabilitation Centre that provides rehabilitation and vocational training for the disabled was under utilised.

The capacity at the centre was 100 persons but it had only 33 so far, she said, adding that training provided at the centre was not on par with that of the National Vocational Training Council.

“I suggest the Government upgrade the centre so that it will be able to help the disabled get jobs easily.

“It can be done if the centre is equipped with facilities for the disabled and the word disabled is added to its name,” she said, urging the private sector to provide job opportunities to trainees from the Semarahan Rehabilitation Centre.

Nancy said there were some 48,084 disabled people in Sarawak of which 11,646 were in Kuching.

Deepavali Greetings From President of Independent Living & Training Centre.

Deepavali Greetings From President of Independent Living & Training Centre.

Dear Friends,

Wishing everyone a very happy diwali !!!!!!!

May this festival of light brings joy & happiness to you & your family.

From,

Mr. Francis Siva

President

Independent Living & Training Centre