Proud to be free

By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ

IT was tough at first, but their determination to be independent motivated them to keep going. Today, the beautiful people of the Beautiful Gate Foundation for the Disabled are proudly operating their own market stalls.

After five months of trial-and-error, their four market stalls selling flowers, recycled items, vegetables and newspapers at Jalan SS2/62 in Petaling Jaya are now running smoothly.

Their day starts at 6.30am when they set up the stalls. The location of the four stalls is convenient, just at the beginning of Jalan SS2/62, so that they need not struggle on their wheelchairs to the centre or further side of the market.

According to Beautiful Gate executive director Sia Siew Chin, the home was given two licences to trade five years ago but the location was too far in the middle of the market, making it difficult for the disabled persons to access.

”As a result, we could not operate properly and later did not renew the licences,” Sia said.

Business opportunity: Sia (in red T-shirt) attends to two customers at the recycled items stall.

In 2004, the MPBJ built a RM420,000 barrier-free zone from the location of the Beautiful Gate centre on Jalan SS2/24 to the market area, making accessibility easy for the disabled persons.

The home was granted four licences in August this year but the stalls could only be properly established in the last few weeks.

Sia said the programme was to train more disabled people in business to enable them to achieve independence by earning their own income.

“We take it as a training ground for the disabled people to do business. Right now, we are training the trainees to develop business skills,” she said.

“It is good for them as it helps build self-confidence and later, they would be able to start their own businesses. Helping them to be independent is our long-term objective,” she said.

Here you go: Lai Soo Kong handing over newspapers to customers

While some of the products are for sale at the market, the public can also visit the home in SS2 to place orders for flowers.

Chitra Subramaniam took a flower arrangement course conducted at the home when she joined it in April this year.

Chitra is now creating beautiful floral decorations for sale at the market.

“I am interested in this art and I am glad I learnt this because it helps me to earn some income,” she said.

Damansara Utama assemblyman Datuk Lim Choon Kin said the trading licence created work opportunity for the disabled community.

“The general public in Petaling Jaya can support them by buying their products,” he said.

Lim said this at the launch of the stalls on Dec 6 in conjunction with the International Disabled Day, which was commemorated on Dec 3.

Source : http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/12/13/central/19687839&sec=central