Activity Report from Beautiful Gate Foundation, Malaysia

Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled
Independent Living Activities Report for January/February 2008

January 3
Hospital Visitation
In University Hospital, Spinal injury due to road accident last November
She is now taking a rehabilitation program in the hospital to strengthen her arm, and for daily activities training. Follow up by Ivy Pua, peer counselor of Beautiful Gate via providing peer counseling.

January 7-31
Collaborate with TV station (NTV7)
To create awareness on ability of disabled persons and independent living of PWDs in Malaysia / To change public’s mind set towards PWDs from receiver to contributor.

January 1 - February 14
Promote Chinese New Year & Valentine Hamper Project
Create Job opportunity to assist PWDs moving towards economic independent

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/1/14/central/19961634&sec=central

February 15
Received call from Registrar of Society said that certificate of “Society of Independent For The Disabled Selangor” is ready for collection. Committee member of IL Selangor consists of 7 persons, 100% PWDs.Plan to rent a house to be used as IL Centre selangor.
From now onward Society of IL Selangor become a wing of BGF to implement IL.

Activity Report from Beautiful Gate Foundation, Malaysia

Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled
Independent Living Activity Report for November/December 2007

November 5
Home visitation to Taiping (northern part of Malaysia)
Visit a spinal injury person. Bed ridden for 5 years.
Action taken: brought him to Hospital in KL for his health problem and attended a rehabilitation course to strengthen his arm, and for daily activities training. He is now still in hospital for his diabetic treatment. Follow up by Hee Yong Wah via providing peer counseling.

November 7
Meeting with Residents Association in SS2 in order to get their support in providing a friendly environment for PWDs to live independently in the community of SS2.
Sia Siew Chin was elected as committee member of Residents Association of SS2, become medium between SS2 Residents Association and PWDs in SS2.

November 17
Jointly organized parade by PWDs at Muar together with Society of Love Independent Living for PWDs Muar. About 50 PWDs take part. Submitted memorandum to State Assembly Man of Muar.

November 23
Produce DVD about story of a PWD who live independently.
This DVD will be distributed to hospital to encourage those newly disabled persons.

December 3
Radio broadcast about International Day of PWDs.
It is an hour program. I mentioned about obstacles that prevented PWDs to live an independent life and appeal public & government to eliminate the obstacles.

December 6, 13, 20, 27
Weekly IL program
3pm-5pm, 9 pwds attended.

INDEPENDENT LIVING & PEER COUNSELING WORKSHOP 2007

INDEPENDENT LIVING & PEER COUNSELING WORKSHOP 2007

Organised by: Beautiful Gate Foundation For The Disabled
Sponsored by: Toyota Foundation Grant

Date: October 22-25, 2007
Time: 09.30am-4.00pm
Venue: Beautiful Gate Foundation Klang Centre

Objectives:
1. To introduce concept of Independent Living & Peer Counseling to disabled staffs and trainees of Beautiful Gate Centres.
2. To equip leaders of Beautiful Gate Centres and trainees with skill of Peer Counseling.
3. To prepare all disabled staff to implement Independent Living program in Beautiful Gate Centres
4. To equip trainees for them to introduce concept of independent living to their community.

Programme:

Date & Time Topics Resource Person
Day 1
09:30-09:40 Welcoming Speech & Situation of Persons With Disabilities in Malaysia Siew Chin
09:40-09:50 Opening Remark Kenji Kuno
09:50-10:00 Opening Speech by VIP Dato Song Kee Chai
10:00-10:30 Refreshment & Press Conference
10:30-11:00 Ice Breaking / Good & New Ming Lai
11:00-12:30 History & Concepts of Independent Living Movement Hee
12:30-01:30 Lunch
01:30-02:30 What Is Peer-Counseling 1 (History, Purpose & Methods) Thomas & Seow
02:30-03:00 What I have learned today? Fiona
Day 2
09:30-10:00 Good & New Fiona
10:00-11:00 What Is Peer-Counseling 2 (Agreement: Role of Counselor & Client) Seow & Ming Lai
11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-12:15 What Is Peer-Counseling 3 (Human Nature) Ming Lai & Seow
12:15-01:30 Lunch
01:30-02:30 What Is Peer-Counseling 4 (Discharge Emotion & Role-Playing) Hee & Siew Chin
02:30-03:00 What I have learned today? Wan Zhi
Day 3
09:30-10:00 Good & New Wan Zhi
10:00-11:00 What Is Peer-Counseling 5 (What is Disabilities?) Hee
11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-12:15 What Is Peer-Counseling 6 (Pattern & Intervention) Siew Chin & Ming Lai
12:15-01:30 Lunch
01:30-02:30 What Is Peer-Counseling 7 (Support Group) Thomas & Seow
02:30-03:00 What I have learned today? Ming Lai
Day 4
09:30-10:00 Good & New Ming Lai
10:00-11:00 What is Independent Living Program? Siew Chin & Hee
11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-12:15 Role-Playing Seow
12:15-01:30 Lunch
01:30-02:30 Appreciation Thomas
02:30-03:00 Conclusion & What I have learned in this workshop? Siew Chin & Hee
03:30-04:00 Closing Ceremony

Working Committee:

Advisor : Kenji Kuno, Sia Siew Chin
Organising Chairman : Hee Yong Wah
Secretary : Thomas Yeoh Kee Soon
Treasurer : Low Mee Li
Committee Members : Seow Boon Chan, Chan Ming Lai, Lee Yew Hoe, Ow Wai Seng

Participants:

Resourse Person: 5
Hee Yong Wah, Seow Boon Chan, Sia Siew Chin, Thomas Yeoh Kee Soon, Chan Ming Lai

Refresher: 2
New Trainees: 13

Comments by Organising Chairman:
New trainees are very impress with the concept of Independent Living and Peer Counseling. They are very keen to know more about it. They asked for further training in order for them to start Independent Living Program and Peer Counseling services in other Beautiful Gate centres. For those trainees who are not BGF staffs, they show their interest in take part in Independent living Program help in Petaling Jaya Centre in November.

Kuala Lumpur Independent Living Centre - Activity Report for September 2007

IL Outreach Programme supported by Toyota Foundation Grant.

The Kuala Lumpur Independent Living Centre was officially established on September 15, 2007. The centre’s first client was Mr. Yap Kim Soon, 23, spinal cord injury C5/C6 since 2004. He stays at Selayang with his family. Selayang is 30km north of Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

Kim Soon and I have been communicating through Yahoo IM for a few months already. During the first visit to his home on September 15, 2007, I share with him about the concepts of IL and how it is being practiced in Japan. I also brought 2 videos on IL to show him.

On my second visit in September 23, 2007, I introduced ILP and PC to him. I also gave him a copy of the ILP Manual in Chinese. Kim Soon seems very receptive to the idea of IL and asked many questions.

Within this reporting period, I have also spoken to two other persons with spinal cord injury regarding IL. The response was not good as they do not seem very keen in knowing more on IL. At the same time, I have contacted a friend of a person who has severe disability caused by spinal cord injury. The said person is currently on a ventilator to assist his breathing. He is 58 years old, had an accident 7 years ago. We are both alumni from the same high school. No appointment has been set to meet him yet.

In Memoriam - Topong Kulkhanchit

Topong Kulkhanchit was a true-blue advocate and activist who loved what he did. When I met him for the first time during the training at the Asia-Pacific Development Centre on Disability (APCD) in Bangkok, he had a yellow scarf around his neck to show allegiance to Thailand’s king and also as a symbol of the anti-Thaksin coalition.

I thought to myself, “Here is a very brave man who is doing great things, not only for his peers with disabilities but also for his nation.”

Therefore, there was a great reluctance in my heart to accept that this great person has left us so soon and so suddenly. There is still so much that he can do to contribute to the disability movement in Thailand and the Asia-Pacific. There is still so much that we can learn from him. He was a free spirit and very charismatic. He never let his disability stop him from living life to the fullest. His demise has left a gaping void in the disability movement that will be difficult to fill.

Rest in peace Topong.

We shall carry on the advocacy on equality for disabled persons from where you left off.

Peter Tan
Malaysia