Reaching out to those without hope

By Audrey Kam

KUALA LUMPUR: Chan Ming Lai spent the first few years of his life watching the world from a wooden crate meant for soft drinks bottles, in a corner of a hawker stall.

He never went to school, and could only watch as other children ran and played around the chap fan (economy rice) stall where his mother worked.

He is a cerebral palsy sufferer who can only turn his head and move his left hand.

Today, he counsels other people with disabilities for the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled. Chan, 36, is one of 40 residents of the foundation’s home in Petaling Jaya.

"We don’t want people to see us as charity cases. We want people to accept us as part of society," said Sia Siew Chin, an executive director of the foundation.

Sia, like Chan, is wheelchair-bound. Muscular dystrophy runs in her family.

Beautiful Gate takes its name from a Biblical story in the Acts of the Apostles, where a lame beggar was healed by John and Peter.

The foundation’s five homes in the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia are run by its 150 residents. It gives the disabled skills and education, and trains them to counsel others.

Beautiful Gate society was one of last year’s nominees for Team Humanitarian, a category in the NSTP-PwC Malaysian Humanitarian Awards.

One of the foundation’s programmes, Let Love Grow, was its first attempt to reach out to those who felt suicidal, through a series of talks last year.

"Learn to love yourself" — that was its main message to those without hope.

Chan used to feel intensely sorry for himself. After living in the home for a year, he struck out on his own, supporting himself by selling lottery tickets in Kepong to passers-by. One day, he was robbed.

"No one came to my aid. I felt helpless," he said.

The experience drove him to despair. Then he realised that his fellow residents were determined to find a role for themselves.

"They were so optimistic. I asked myself why I could not be like them."

So he set himself a goal: to love himself. He realised that he had to love himself before he could love others.

For the third year, The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd and PricewaterhouseCoopers are looking for nominees for the Malaysian Humanitarian Awards.

NSTP and PwC are looking to honour Malaysians who have gone beyond the call of duty and served the public selflessly. Nominations are open until Sept 11.

For information and forms, log on to www.nstp.com.my or pwc.com.my, or call 03-2282-3131 ext 2740.

Source : http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/PWC/nstpPWC/20060908111519/Article/pwc.html