By Christopher Lidom
KUCHING, May 5: Deputy Minister of Public Health, Housing and Local Government Michael Tiang has sponsored RM10,000 to four students training in Kuching Autistic Association (KAA).
Tiang said the sponsorship provides financial assistance for disadvantaged students under KAA’s Sponsor-A-Child programme, which started in 2016.
“Currently, training fees (in KAA) are between RM200 and RM400 per child per month, but the actual operating cost is about RM900 per child per month.
“The student fees are kept low not to burden the parents and to make therapy accessible to as many children with autism as possible.
“Despite the relatively low therapy fees, there are students from the B40 group at KAA who cannot even afford to pay RM200 per month for therapy,” he said when officiating at the Adoption of Kuching Autistic Association (KAA) Sunshine Hub Garden Farm Project by Sarawak Energy and cheque presentation at KAA Educational Centre today.
He added, as of May 2023, seven students aged between three and 18 are receiving financial assistance under KAA’s Sponsor-A-Child programme.
Meanwhile, Sarawak Energy Berhad’s general manager for the corporate social responsibility department Jiwari Abdullah, representing Sarawak Energy Berhad’s senior vice president Siti Aisah Adenan, said the garden farm project aligns with the company’s final pillar on community development and entrepreneurship.
He said it would provide even more employment opportunities for students and trainees by allowing them to develop a wide range of skills and abilities through farming, giving the students a sense of purpose and ensuring they can continue thriving and have a sustainable livelihood.
“The Sunshine Hub, Garden Farm Project, is part of the existing Sunshine Hub Sheltered Workshop, which Sarawak Energy and the KAA have worked closely together over the past two years.
“Together, we sponsored extended vegetable farming and potted plants projects and even completed the extension of existing garden plots through collaborative gotong-royong sessions in the previous year,” he said when reading Siti Aishah’s text speech.
During the event, Sarawak Energy also presented RM17,500 in sponsorship to KAA for its Sunshine Hub Garden Farm Project and its recent Bunny Autism Run 2023 programme. — DayakDaily
