KUCHING: Persatuan Kebajikan Harapan Kuching (Hope Place Kuching) is appealing to members of the public for support, both in cash and kinds, to enable it to extend its services to the needy.
Its founder Kelvin Wan in a press statement said the organisation currently provided support to more than 180 needy individuals and families here.
“We mainly help individuals with disabilities (OKU), senior citizens who are sick or abandoned by their families, single mothers whose income is below RM500 and families with a total income of less than RM500 a month,” he said.
He explained that depending on the needs of the recipients, Hope Place would supply essentials such as rice, cooking oil, sugar, biscuits and noodles. To single mothers with children who are still schooling, they would also be supplied with milk and diapers.
“Due to the big number of recipients now, we would normally carry out our aid deliveries once every three months,” he said.
Recently, Hope Place also assisted the parents of a four-month old baby who had been held at the Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) intensive care unit since birth.
The baby, Caroline Endak Melayu, had been diagnosed with intraparenchymal haemorrhage (IPH), which is one of the most serious complications of premature birth due to its lifelong neurologic consequences.
According to Wan, they were alerted of Melayu Banta and Iton Kanawang’s (the parents) plight by the SGH social worker Rachel Lawrence.
As a farmer in Engkilili, Melayu’s income is barely enough to make ends meet.
He could not even afford to buy the cheapest brand of milk for his daughter, let alone to afford special infant formula, which is required for her special medical condition.
Therefore, Hope Place Kuching made arrangements for her parents to bring her home to Engkilili as well as providing the parents with infant milk powder and diapers.
Those who wish to help Hope Place Kuching may contact them at 013-5672775 or (082) 505987 from 8.30am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm every Monday to Friday, and 9am to 12pm every Saturday.
