Shan Children Home, Tanjung Tokong

On 13 June 2010, the Youth Care members once again had their charity visit to SHAN CHILDREN HOME, Tanjung Tokong. We went there about 3.30 p.m. This time around, we had arranged some station games to interact with the kids of the home. There were 5 station games altogether. The games were conducted within the compound of the home.

The station games were :
1. Solving a puzzle
2. newspaper folding (see how many kids can stand on 1/4 of newspaper)
3. box reading
4. Blind folding
5. rusty telephone (can you convey a message properly or are you rusty)


Some of the member went there early to set up the games. As there were 20 children in the home on that particular day. We had exactly divided them into 5 group consisting of 4 players each in different ages. After all YC members arrived safely (after getting lost).The games begun.The joy could be seen in the children's eyes. After that at roughly about 5 o'clock, we ended the games. Soon after that, all the YC members tallied the marks which was given to every group. As a result, 2 groups (Group A & B) won 1st and 2nd placing respectively
.
Even though, the prizes were on given to only 1st and 2nd placing, the YC members presented a small notebook as souvenir to all the children in the home. Later, before saying goodbye to the children, we celebrated some of our relatives (June babies) birthday there. The cake (home made marble cake) was given to all the children. Then, we left the home, thanking the care-taker and also thanking the children for participating for these games.



Reported by,
Darshiini & Taranee

It's Payback time.

Came across this article in The Star newspaper last Sunday(2 May).
Just wanted to share with you good people!!

It's Payback Time

Click

Food Donation 2010!

Chitra Pournami, is a Tamil festival observed on the full moon day (Pournami) in the month of Chitirai (April/May) hence the name. The day is dedicated to Chitragupta, the official keeper of deeds in the abode of Yama, The Lord of Death. It is believed that bathing in holy rivers and temple ponds on the day will wash away the sins committed by one.

In Hinduism, Chitragupta, the first assistant of Lord Yama, is the one who keeps record of the good and bad deeds of human beings on earth. After death, when one reaches the abode of Yama, it is he who tallies the good and bad deeds and declares it to Yama (Judgement Day). Therefore, the day is dedicated to Chitragupta and devotees pray to him to forgive their sins.

In 2010, Chitra Pournami falls on the 28th of April (Wednesday). Therefore, it was time for Youth Cares annual food donation.This year, Youth Cares took a very bold move and decided to target 1000 people for the food donation. At first we were a little skeptical of reaching our target and risked having leftover as it was a WORKING DAY. A working day naturally means a smaller crowd.

Still we stuck by our target and went ahead with the plans. Eventhough, it was a working day many of our donors managed to take off from work to help Youth Cares out. (For those who didn’t make it, we understand that you need to work. So that can donate more to Youth Cares! *wink*)

We gathered at the Youth Park carpark area around 10am. I was very happy to see many of them were very punctual for the event. At around 10.30am, the guys from Vision Tents arrived to put up the tent for us. Come to think of it, thank god we put up tents to shade us from the scorching sun and later the heavy rain. The food was expected to make it’s grand entrance at 11-ish.

Setting up the tent

At 11.10 am, the food finally arrived. Should the food arrive any later, I would have gotten a mild heart attack. The menu of the day was Briyani Rice, Vegetarian kurma, Cabbage stir fried, Mango chutney and Ms.Kala’s Taukua Sambal!

The grand entrance!!

Even before we managed to unload the food from the caterer’s truck, there was a line forming in the front of the tent. That is when I knew, there will be no leftovers.

After unloading the food, all I remember was someone telling me to serve the food. After an hour or so, we were all done and ready to wrap up. The best part of the day was when Mr.Vig said ‘Sorry, we are all out of rice!’. Can you imagine that? We managed to serve 1000 people.hurray!!!


I know I saw one or two people who came back for second serving. There was also this lady: she said someone called her up and asked her to take food from us because it was simply DELICIOUS!

After all was said and done, the day ended on a high note.

A very personal THANK YOU to:
- All who donated for this event
- Susmeatha Catering
- Prakash&Maleni for the tent
- Gopal for the foam boxes
- Kala for her taukua sambal

We manage to feed a baby too!!

The eco friendly foam boxed used.

To the uninvited guest, Mr Long, thank you for visiting!

Till next year!

Report by,
Swarna ‘n’ TEAM

Children Protection Society

On 14 march 2010 Youth Cares had their monthly visit to Children Protection Society for the month of February. At 2.00 p.m. the YC members depart from their houses . We reached the place at 2.30 p.m. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the caretaker there also known as the 'house mother' . Miss Suzie and Miss Thilaga, they were on duty that day to take care of the children. After meeting them, we brought down all the ration that we bought from the car. At least thirteen of us went for the visiting. In the shelter , 28 of them stays there.

They range from the ages of 6 years old to 18 years old. 8 of them are boys and the others are girls. After bringing down all the rations, the house mother ask us to write our names in a donation book of theirs as a record. We explain to the caretaker about this visiting to them, they were very pleased for our visiting. When we went there, the kids were watching television while some of them were playing computer games. When we went in there, the kids greeted us by saying with a nice smile. After few minutes talking to Miss Suzie, she took us to explore the place. She was explaining that this place is a rented house, soon they will be moving to their new place that they have bought. In the shelter they have separate rooms for the children. Example, age 6 to 10 sleeps in one bedroom and the others sleep in another bedroom. Girls and boys have their own separate room.

The children there keep their things neatly and they fold their own clothes. After exploring, Miss Suzie told more info about the place and about the kids. Unfortunately when we were there, some of them weren't there. They went for holidays with their relatives and some went for extra classes such as sailing and moral classes. There they take turns to wash their clothes, sweep the room and many more. After that, the YC members chit chatted with the children there, they were very friendly to us. They were also happy to see us visiting them.

After few minutes, we thanked Miss Suzie and Miss Thilaga for sharing their time with us and before going back home, Miss Suzie and Miss Thilaga asked us to give our contact numbers to them so that if there is any function held, they would like to invite us to joint them, after that, we went back home.



Report by,
Taranee 'n' Team.

First for the year 2010!

January 2010 had been a little busy. Most of the YC members were busy coping going back to school. Therefore, initially there was supposed to be no activity for this month.
But as Faith came calling, YC got a call from the caretaker of Rumah Kebajikan Seri Cahaya.

Thaipusam, an annual festival celebrated by the Hindus was around the corner. During this festival it is usual for the general public to serve food for free to the devotees.

The caretaker of the home, ran out of option and was in serious need for dry ingredients such as cooking oil, rice and noodles. So, YC ever the lending hand decided to ease the home by donating the ingredients.

On 25th of January, 5 days before the festival YC members handed over the rations to the home's caretaker. On the 30th of January, the home served home cooked food to the devotees who flocked Sri Balathandayuthabani Hilltop Temple to fulfill their vows. The home served lunch as the crowd of devotees were at it's peak.

On the very next day of Thaipusam, the chair lady of the home called YC to thank us for the generous donation. This year the home managed to serve more than 500 devotees. This number is more than the previous years.


Reported by,
Darshiini & TEAM

Youth Cares' turns ONE!

31st December 2009, marks the day Youth Cares turns one. To mark this day and also to carry out the final charity programme for the year 2009, the YC members decided to serve food to the less fortunate. The event took place at Pitt Street Kuan Yin Temple.

We arrived at the temple grounds around 11.45am. Before serving any food, the YC members prayed at the temple to seek the blessings of Goddess Mercy and also to say thank you.

The menu of the day was vegetarian Nasi Lemak, prepared by one of yourvery kind donor,Ms.Kala. Sharp at 12 pm, we started serving the food. We were done serving by the time the clock hit 12.15. Glad to say, this final event of the year managed to get together most of the Youth Care members.
On a brighter note, while serving food, 2 of our members were interviewed by a local newspaper publications. The 2 members that were interviewed are Darshiini & Swarna. They were interviewed by Sinar Harian. (we are still trying to get out hands on that article).

last but not the least, THANK YOU to everybody who stuck by us throughout 2009.

Happy New Year!!!

Report by,
Nithiya Shan & TEAM

Rumah Seri Cahaya, Permatang Damar Laut, Batu Maung

On the 31st of October, The Youth Cares members had a visiting to Rumah Seri Cahaya in Permatang Damar Laut, Batu Maung. The Youth Cares members also had celebrate one of their member's birthday there. We arrived there at 12 p.m. We were there for about two hours. Once we reached there, we went to pray with all the other children there for a good 30 minutes. There was about 35 to 40 children staying in the orphanage. After, praying we brought down all the dry food from the car that we bought with all the donated money by the donors. Some of the members came after the prayers also. Then, we had our lunch .

Firstly, we serve all the kids the food there. After that, we ate our lunch which was prepared by the helpers in the orphanage. After few minutes, all the children ate their food and was waiting for the birthday girl (yes, our visit coincided with one of our member's birthday, Shankeri!!) to cut the cake. But some of the children there was eating their food slowly (enjoying the lunch, we presume) so the other kids have wait for the children to eat finish their food first. In between, some of the kids there were talking to us and spending time with us. They were so happy. After all the kids ate their food , everyone stood beside the table where they were about to cut the cake for the birthday girl. All the kids was very excited. We sang the birthday song for the birthday girl, while singing the song the care taker there prayed for the girl and for YC's continuous success. After cutting the cake, we distributed the cake and gave all the kids there with some jellies which was prepared by one of the Youth Cares' generous donor, Ms.Kuan Ngit Sen. Some of the kids took more cake and told that the cake was very delicious. They even said the jelly was delicious.

Then, we spend some time chatting with the kids. They were so happy to talk to us. After few minutes, we moved from the place. We thanked the care taker there for spending time with us. The care taker there also thanked to visit the orphanage. We bid good bye to every single kid before we left the home.