Society inviting the blind to register for RM100 relief aid
KUCHING: Sarawak Society for the Blind is inviting blind individuals to the Kuching Blind Centre here to register for the one- off relief of RM100 each on or before Feb 28.
This is part of the society’s effort to alleviate poverty for the less fortunate in urban and rural areas.
“Seeing the endless a price hike of essential commodities in the market, our society decided to give a one- off monetary relief of RM100 each for the second time to the blind as a small way to alleviate their situation of poverty,” the society said through a press statement signed by its chairman Ying Yen Ping
“In Sarawak and perhaps elsewhere in this world, blind people are amongst the poorer of the poor if not the poorest. The recent price hike for most essential commodities aggravates the poverty of the blind. Only a multi-sectoral approach to poverty reduction can change this – nothing less than a comprehensive and coherent strategy for the socio-integration of the blind,” it added.
The society said the majority of blind people was in a situation that affected their chance of going to school, obtaining work and enjoying family and social life.
“The objective of the Sarawak Society for the Blind is to help them. Our society has a dual role to play – to lobby the government for the introduction and strengthening of all elements of poverty reduction and also to promote skills development for the blind,” the society said.
Those who want to get the oneoff monetary relief of RM100 from the society are told to bring along their identity cards and “OKU” ( physically- challenged) card to the centre from 8am until 5pm on Monday to Friday and also from 8am to 1pm on Saturday for registration. The centre is closed on Sunday and public holidays.
The society has three branches – Kuching, Sibu and Miri. All these branches distribute food parcels to hundreds of poor blind registered with the society since 1995.
The society can be reached at Sarawak Society for the Blind, Kuching Division Branch, Kuching Blind Centre, Jalan Ong Tiang Swee, Kuching at 082- 424046 (telephone number); 082-232566 ( fax) or ssbkuchingbranch@ gmail.com (email).
Seeing the endless price hike of essential commodities in the market our society decided to give one-off monetary relief of RM100 each for the second time to the blind as a small way to alleviate their situation of poverty. Sarawak Society for the Blind