Malaysians Raise Over 300,000 Baht For Charity

Bangkok - A group of Malaysian expatriates in Bangkok found a noble cause to repay the kindness of their host country.

They organised a charity dinner which raised more than 300,000 baht for a home for children affected or infected with HIV/Aids, a school and an old folks home in Malaysia.

While the figure raised at a dinner on Saturday night and attended by about 120 people was not high, it was timely as many of such homes faced difficulties in getting generous funding from corporate firms due to the gloomy economic situation.

C. Maheswary, who initiated the event with a group of friends, said while many Malaysians, their fellow Thais and other expatriate friends had been involved in charity for some time, it was the first time they came together to host a big event like this that received overwhelming support.

"We felt it was good for us to repay the kindness of our Thai friends by helping the children‘s home and the school.

Some of the homes are facing closure due to lack of funds," said Maheswary, who has been residing in Thailand for the past decade.

Janpen Ngoensamut, a caretaker manager of the Baan Nor Giank, a Bangkok home for children affected or infected with HIV/Aids, said they needed about 300,000 baht a month to provide all the amenities, daily medicines and hospitalisation provisions for 20 children, as well as rental and staff salaries.

"We have children aged five to 15. To keep them healthy, we need to provide them with all the necessary medicines, and love as well. It‘s not easy to get funding from government or private sectors as there are dozens of similar homes in Thailand," she said.

The home was set up in 1997 by the late Bob der Kevorkian, who was then the chief executive of K-Tech construction and a well-known figure in the capital.

Janpen said she was overwhelmed by the support and dedication shown by the Malaysian expatriates and their fellow Filipino and American friends, adding that such support kept the home and the spirit of staff and children alive.

Part of the proceedings from the ticket sales, auction, cash donations and lucky draws also went to Baan Aur Ta Khian, a school in the southern province of Nakhorn Si Tammarat, and the Vivekananda Margam Welfare Society which runs old folks homes and sponsoring poor children‘s education in Malaysia.

One of Bangkok‘s leading travel and tour agencies, Sun Moon Tour & Travel, gave a three-day, two nights package with Malaysia Airlines to Kuala Lumpur for two, while other contributors were Malaysian-owned resort Impiana Koh Samui, Asian Fine Arts Gallery, Comforter Foot Care and Compass Hospitality which runs several hotels in Thailand and Bangkok. D. Arul Rajoo

Source: http://www.bernama.com
Photo Credit: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com

Tuliskan komentar Anda !