Special needs children want to realise their dreams, too
SIBU: A girl with Down Syndrome, Isabel Kong, 17, says children with special needs, just like other children, have dreams they want to see come true. She was sharing her thoughts during the launch of the Sheltered Workplace and Independent Living Training Home project at Alan Road here yesterday.
Datin Patinggi Dato Jamilah Anu officiated at the launch on behalf of her husband, Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Adenan Satem.
Also present were Local Government and Community Development Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Association for Children With Special Needs Sibu (ACSNS) president Kapitan Datuk Janet Lau and function organising chairman Dr Toh Teck Hock.
According to Kong, children with special needs could express their thoughts through body language, and they too had dreams which needed opportunity to materialise.
“I am here on behalf of my fellow special needs friends to tell you about our dreams, so you can better understand us and give us more opportunities.
“I have a friend who wants to be a cook, another friend wants to be baker, another wants to be an artist, salesman and pet groomer. Some of my friends are good in sports such as swimming;
I am here on behalf of my fellow special needs friends to tell you about our dreams, so you can better understand us and give us more opportunities.
Isabel Kong
some of us have dreams to become badminton players and swimmers,” she said.
Kong said she was happy that a shelter for these children to better get on with life would emerge soon.
The main sponsor of the project, Dato Henry Lau, who is KTS Group managing director, said the training home was to enable people with special needs to acquire living skills and be independent.
He said many people had taken for granted the ability to live independently, but some of those with special needs require special training to lead an independent life.
“When Janet and Dr Toh talked to me about the ( home) project, I realised it was indeed true that these people who were born special needed special training to be independent in life.”
He was touched by the commitment of those working on the project, much as he was touched by Jamilah, who had been contributing so much to society.