Kids Speak holds advocacy event for three NGOs
KUCHING: Kids Speak held an advocacy event on May 19 to raise awareness and funds for three nongovernmental organizations - Hope Place Kuching, Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( SSPCA) and Dyslexia Association of Sarawak.
The event, ‘ SAY YES!’, was held at the Granary Kitchen and Bar by the centre, which trains children and teens in effective oral communication.
As part of their advanced speech project, the senior students are required to apply the techniques they have learned in persuasive speech writing, story- telling as well as use videos in their presentations.
Besides that, they also have to do volunteer work with the three NGOs to obtain fi rst-hand experience in community work.
In this event, six students spoke about some issues in the community, the NGOs’ work and encouraged members of the public to contribute to their causes. The students were Nathan Ho, Joel Lee, Tania Toh, Rachel Keng, Aaron Ong and Lloyd Toh.
Collection amounted to RM8,517, which included proceeds from ticket sales, loose donations, sale of children’s books, artwork and miscellaneous items.
The donation was received by representatives of the three NGOs: Kelvin Wan (the founder of Hope Place), Datin Dona Wee (the president of SSPCA) and Wallace Lee (vice-president of the Dyslexia Association of Sarawak).
Hope Place Kuching reaches out to 200 needy families with monthly income of less than RM500, persons with special needs (OKU), single parents with many kids still schooling in Kuching, Santubong, Matang, Bau and Serian. It also organises a yearly charity event at rural areas in Baram.
Every three months, staff of Hope Place provide essential items, repair works on dilapidated houses and help fi re and flood victims. It also gives charity talk at schools, colleges and universities.
SSPCA runs campaigns to promote awareness of animal welfare to the public.
At the event, Dona Wee urged the audience to neuter their pets and to be responsible pet owners and encouraged the public to help by volunteering at the shelter, fostering the animals and donating necessities.
The Dyslexia Association conducts intervention programmes and daily tuition classes for children with dyslexia as well as other learning disabilities.
Currently, they are raising funds to build a Dyslexia Learning Institute with more classrooms to cater to the growing demand of many children with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
Members of the public who wish to volunteer or donate to the above NGOs may contact them: Hope Place ( 013- 5672775), SSPCA ( 082618 200) and Dyslexia Association of Sarawak ( 082 242 900).
Hope Place carries out their aid deliveries once in every three months because of the many families on its recipients list and currently supports more than 200 families.
Hope Place can be reached at 013- 567 2775 ( hot line) or 082- 505 987 from 8.30am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm Mondays to Fridays, and 9am to 12pm on Saturdays.
Those making a donation are advised to request for a receipt from the staff at Hope Place.
Direct bank-in can be made to Persatuan Kebajikan Harapan Kuching Maybank account 51128900-1160.