By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Sept 6: Habitat for Indigenous Development and Urban Program (Hidup) has an ambition to start its own community rehabilitation centre (PPDK) at Teng Bukap but faces financial constraint.
Its chairman George Young Si Ricord Junior expressed concern with the lack of funding, especially that 29 trainees have been identified by the Welfare Department to undergo rehabilitation in the centre to be called PPDK Hidup Mesra Teng Bukap.
“Our utmost concern now is to raise the fund to start the centre so that we can start taking in the trainees. Now they would have to wait for a while,” George told DayakDaily here today.
With the setting up of the centre, he was optimistic that early intervention could help the trainees to become self-sustainable in the long run.
“That’s why we need to start the centre as soon as possible, so that we can assist those who have the chance to be self-sustainable at an early stage,” he said.
According to George, the said premise in Teng Bukap has been abandoned and neglected since 2011 following the relocation of local agencies from Teng Bukap. Since then, the building has been vandalised.
“Our centre in Teng Bukap, once operational, will serve the 22 villages stretching from Kampung Mundai till Kampung Sira, along the Padawan Road,” he said.
George reiterated that the NGO was seeking more than RM300,000 to repair the dilapidated government quarters in Teng Bukap, which has been approved as its centre for the less fortunate.
Currently, 29 individuals with disabilities have registered with PPDK Hidup Mestra Teng Bukap.
One of the individuals is hearing impaired, an 18-year-old has vision impaired, while six individuals has Cerebral Palsy. Currently they are temporarily rehabilitated at PPDK Bestari Siburan.
Once operational, the PPDK HIDUP Mesra Teng Bukap will have five staff and one supervisor to look after the trainees.
Meanwhile, George thanked OBYU Holdings through the Yayasan OBYU for donating two units of computers and a printer to PPDK HIDUP Mesra Teng Bukap.
The simple handover ceremony was held at OBYU Holdings’ office at Jalan Ban Hock here yesterday.
For further information PPDK HIDUP Mesra could be reached at 0111-8580528/0111-8990528. — DayakDaily
