KUCHING: Junior Chamber International (JCI) Padawan held a community outreach programme at Rumah Seri Kenangan (RSK) Kuching last Wednesday (Aug 31) in conjunction with the National Day celebration this year.
RSK Kuching is an old folks’ home located at Mile 12 here, which houses more than 60 senior citizens and more than 30 staff members.
Led by JCI Padawan vice president of community, Hon Kah Fui, the programme aimed to clean and decorate the newly built dining hall into a better dining environment for the residents, with the assistance of RSK Kuching principal Sharifah Ranimah Wan Hashim and her staff to turn this programme into fruition.
Besides the National Day celebration, birthdays of senior citizens who were born in the months of July, August, and September were also celebrated, with Padawan Municipal Council (MPP) chairman Lo Khere Chiang in attendance as the guest of honour.
Hon opened up that one of the elderlies he spoke to during the programme, told him that despite all the help, support and facilities provided by RSK Kuching, at times they would still feel miserable and distressed.
“It was not due to them being mistreated by the staff, but by their own flesh and blood, people whom they brought up as a family,” he said.
He added that the old folks’ homes were meant for those who have no family or next-of-kin, no children or those who never married.
“It is a meaningful responsibility to take care of the senior citizens, who have walked before us to make life possible and provide us with so much guidance and wisdom,” he added.
Hon also took the chance to thank their sponsors, consisting of members from JCI Padawan and the public, who helped to raise around RM5,000 for this programme.
JCI Padawan is a platform for young citizens, aged between 18 and 40, to develop their networking, leadership, management skills, and personal development.
For more information, those who are interested can visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/jcipadawan/
