KL YMCA, April 17 2004 - In wake of the rise in sexual abuse cases, YMCA actively takes up the role in ensuring that its members are aware and well educated in the modes of prevention of this malice. A workshop was held to provide crucial information about the truths and myths of child sexual abuse. The two and the half hour session was well attended by almost 50 concerned parents, educators, care-givers and the members of the public. The facilitators were Barbara Yen and Lucy Lim. Sign language interpreting service was provided as the needs of the Deaf are always taken seriously.

 

27 March 2004 marked the beginning of a 7-month Reading Programme with the students of the Sek Pendidikan Khas Selangor, Shah Alam. Sessions are carried out on alternate Saturdays from 10am to 12 noon by FOD volunteers who meet a week before the programme to design appropriate activities to impart English to 60 children aged between 7 and 14. To facilitate effectivet teaching, the children have been divided into 3 groups according to their age. Topics such as myself, my family, household items, colours and numbers are but a few of the topics that have been covered. A half day camp was held recently and the children we exposed to Malaysian Culture and Tradition. They learnt to play many traditional games such as congkak, 5 stones, hop-skip and jump. They also learnt some traditional dance steps as well as how to drape a saree and wear a kimono, to name a few. Student response has been very encouraging and it is wonderful to note how their confidence improves week by week as they learn signs, spelling and new vocabulary.

Adalah buat kali pertama untuk tiga orang Pekak dari Kelab Pekak dan Kelab Remaja Pekak iaitu Jessica Mak, Ke Xin dan saya menyertai Konvesyen Belia Kebangsaan 2004. Konvesyen ini adalah di bawah anjuran Kementerian Belia dan Sukan Malaysia dan Majlis Belia Malaysia yang bertemakan "Belia Cemerlang, Bangsa Gemilang, Negara Terbilang" pada 13-14 Mei bersama-sama para belia dari seluruh Malaysia yang bukan orang kurang upaya (OKU). Kami bertiga berasa sungguh bangga apabila kehadiran kami dapat mengejutkan para hadirin dan orang Pekak juga dapat menyertai dsan mengikuti seminar dan perbincangan dengan perkhidmatan jurubahasa. Konvesyen ini diadakan dengan tujuan untuk memberi peluang kepada para belia untuk menyuarakan buah fikiran mereka dalam forum dan bergaul mesra di antara satu sama lain untuk berkongsi pendapat. Selain itu, kami semu juga berpeluang mengikut tiga seminar yang bertajuk "Belia Cemerlang, Bangsa Gemilang, Negara Terbilang', "Cabaran Pembentukan Belia Malaysia Yang Cemerlang" dan "Memupuk Patriotisme Belia Malaysia Yang Gemilang Melalui Partisipasi Politik Bermaruah" dan forum "Prasyarat Pembentukan Negara Terbilang: Peranan Belia Malaysia Dalam Era Globalisasi". Banyak para belia menyedari keperluan yang sebenar apabila isu-isu Pekak dan OKU dikongsi di depan mata mereka semasa forum diadakan. Akhir sekali, pengalaman yang ditimba daripada konvensyen ini adalah berguna untuk masa depan orang Pekak!