KUCHING: A total of 197 made homeless in a fire incident that totally destroyed their living quarters today received help from The Salvation Army.
Comprising construction workers and families, the victims also lost all their important personal documents and possessions in the blaze.
Their seven blocks of living quarters were razed to the ground in the early morning fire today.
Thus, the fire victims received essential grocery items such as rice, eggs, noodles, biscuits, and canned food including disposable diapers and milk powder for the children.
Clothes donated by members of the public were among items present to the victims by The Salvation Army today.
The charity body’s Corp Officer, Captain Raymond Rubi Aloba said they planned to assist the victims for the next six months as this group needed all possible help.
“The Salvation Army also plans to shelter five children aged between nine and 15 years at our children’s home for the sake of safety and educational ,” said Raymond.
“The children are Malaysians whose parents moved to Kuching in search of job opportunities and a better livelihood.
“When the pandemic struck, however, they could not return to their villages and had to remain in Kuching with their parents,” he explained.
“The location currently has intermittent internet connection and due to the noise from the construction site, they are unable to attend online lessons.
“As a result, two of the children had to drop out of school. The Social Welfare Department has been informed and they have responded positively to this,” he added.
Raymond also stated that the families visited the body’s home and had processed administrative paperwork to enable their admittance soon.
The Salvation Army Kuching Corps are currently seeking kind-hearted individuals and corporations to urgently donate items such as groceries (rice, noodles, cooking oil, canned food, biscuits, and others); toiletries (shampoo, soap); clothing; kitchen utensils (cooking pots, pans, frying pan, others); mosquito netting, disposable face masks or cloth masks and hand sanitizers.
All items must be in good condition and delivered to The Salvation Army Kuching Corps & Community Services at Sekama Road byFeb 21. Cash donations can be made via direct bank in to Maybank’s THE SALVATION ARMY Account Number 500511960365.
