Kapar Kidz at KL Tower

Saturday , 31st July 2010

Kapar Kidz were made special guests of Zainalabidin & KL Tower - during Zainalabidin's Green Campaign. The children were invited to spend a day at the famous KL Tower. 50 of the Kapar Kidz from the ages of 10 to 17 years old were treated to a day of fun and activities. For ALL of them this was the first time they went out of Kapar town, as well as a first at the KL Tower.

The children with 2 chaperones and 3 minders left Kapar at 7:00am. They had a quick breakfast of buns & MILO on the bus. By 9:00am they were already at the foot of the hill leading to KL Tower. They excitedly ascend on foot towards the Tower. When I met them at the entrance of the Tower they were abuzz with excitement and full of chatter and laughter.

Some of the children did not wear shoes & socks, because they did not have any. I brought along some shoes & socks and gave these to them, as they were going to face difficulty when doing the more challenging activities, like walking in the jungle etc.

Upon arrival at the KL Tower, they warmly greeted their "Best Buddy" Zainalabidin & "Aka" Angelina - these two are regulars at The CNC. Zainalabidin takes a keen interest in the children's progress. He regularly checks with me to monitor the children. The children welcome such attention as they lack these at home. Zainalabidin is their Best Buddy & Periappa (Big Father) to them.

After the preliminary opening ceremony, they were taken jungle trekking at the Eco Park. It was quite a walk (at least for the minders chaperones) but a breeze for the children! From the Eco Park they were taken to the Mini Zoo - where saw racoons, shakes, tarantula, monkeys, birds and many other animals which they had never seen before!

Lunch was scrumptious! Thank you KL Tower for the lovely lunch of rice, vegetable, eggs, chicken & Masak Lemak Udang! Some of the children had seconds! There was even fruit for deserts!!

Afer lunch, 4 boys and 1 girl volunteered to take part in the Flying Fox! It was a blast! For some of us, (sincerely yours, included) we couldn't bear to look!!

For music, Kapar Kidz were treated to a performance by YAWA Drum Circle. The highlight of the day was a small concert put up by Zainalabidin to entertain his small guests. He belted some of his hits, accompanied by YAWA Drum Circle and Kapar Kidzs. One or two even became his back up dancers!! these children ARE talented!

The children also tried their hands at basket weaving and paper making, demonstrated by YAWA (Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam - an environmental NGO). The day of fun & excitement ended at 4:00pm, when the exhausted but very happy children were bundled into the bus sending them back to Kapar.

Even as I am writing this now, they couldn't stop talking about their adventures at KL Tower, where for once they can forget their poverty and hunger.