Just for the ladies.....

On our trip to Mentakab on Tuesday, 17/5/2011 - apart from the usual food items, Project MADE brought along a big box sanitary pads. These sanitary pads were contributed by the children of Sri KDU Secondary School, Kota Damansara.

In fact, the children of Sri KDU also contributed bars of bath soaps and tubes of tooth paste to Project MADE to be distributed to the families under the various feeding programs.

The children's benevolence have ensured that each family were given bath soaps and tooth paste, regularly. Believe it or not these toiletries are luxury items for these families. These items may be a necessity but are certainly not affordable.

The ladies and girls were given a pack of sanitary pads. Check out their expression, when given such a gift.....

This made me think of starting a Hygiene Pack - just for the ladies and girls. I am planning to include sanitary pads and anything else a woman might find useful......

Can anyone give suggestions? Email me at madeverywhere2011@gmail.com OR post a comment below Thanks a million....

A Trip To The Mountains...

On Sat, 21/5/2011, Project MADE Kidz were invited to a weekend stay at the Cameron Highlands by Dato' Vinod & Datin Aseema - owners of Bharat Tea Plantations, Cameron Highlands. 20 boys and 20 girls togather with 6 minders went to the mountains early Saturday morning by a chartered bus.

They left Kuala Selangor at about 7:30am and arrived at about 12:30 noon. Check out their photos upon arrival at the Barre IJ Centre, Cameron Highlands where they spent the night. (Pix below)

After check in, they were treated to a delicious lunch of chicken rice. The children ate hungrily amidst their loud chatter, laughter and excitement. After their long journey on the bus, the children were just raring to go! Right after lunch they were taken on a nature's trail at the Parit Waterfall.

From the trail, they were taken to a strawberry farm. The children had a wonderful time picking the strawberries popping half as much into their mouths. Trickles of strawberry juices could be seen smeared on their hands, faces and clothes!

After the strawberry farm visit they were treated to milkshakes, ice cream and snacks.

In the evening, the children and their minders were invited to Dato Vinod & Datin Aseema's palatial home. The children played games, danced to funky music and generally had a fun time. They were later served with a sumptious dinner of biryani rice, chicken, mutton, various vegetables and jelly. (Pix below)

At 10pm, the children said their thank yous, good nites and good byes! They were bleary-eyed, tired but definitely HAPPY! At the hostel, the children stayed up late, chatting away with their friends.

The children were woken up at 7am on Sunday morning. They took their baths, tidied the dormitories and packed their bags before sitting down to a breakfast of roti canai and hot tea.

At about 9:30am they were taken on a tour of the Bharat Tea Plantation. At 11:30am, they left Cameron Highlands for home.

By 6:30pm on Sunday evening, they ALL arrived home safely - bringing with them a cache of fond memories. Memories which they will remember for a very long, long time.....memories at the mountains.

Mentakab Feeding Program

On Wesak Day - Tuesday, 17/5/2011, Project MADE took a day trip to Mentakab, Pahang. The objective was to carry out The Mentakab Feeding Program personally. Mentakab Feeding Program is fully sponsored by The ECO Team.

We left PJ as early as 6:45am. The Monster Truck was loaded with food items - rice, wheat flour, meehoon, salt, sugar, oil sardines, milk powder, bread, cream rolls, cream cakes, sweets, toys and clothing items for the Folks under The Mentakab Feeding Program.

There are 20 families under The Mentakab Feeding Program. They are spread far and wide in Mentakab, Temerloh, Jerantut, Jengka and Karak.

Check out these photos:

In my line of work I have seen many things. I "thought" I have seen poverty but what I saw and heard from these families took me by surprise. Most of the families we visited are actually nothing more but modern day slaves! They work in the palm oil estates. They are beholden to the estates.

Most of them owe the estates they work in - thousands of ringgit. Just like you I was quick to prosecute!! But...the workers are forced to spend their salary at the estate's sundry shop for their grocery shopping and their salary is automatically deducted. They are charged exhorbitant prices for usual items like rice etc. These folks have no choice since their salary is not paid in cash. At the end of every month they take back only about RM100 after deductions for various expanses. Hence, every month, they are forever in debt. For them to leave the estate, they are required to settle this mountainous debt. Since they could not they will held by the estates and when they die, the children has to take over. Generations are held in this vicious and cruel grip! To escape would mean death and a life wrought with danger! (These are NOT mere stories of which fiction is based....SAD but this IS reality!!)

Poverty in Kapar does NOT match what I see and hear in Mentakab. For your information, they cannot afford to eat rice. The rice we gave them were used to make porridge so that the whole family can eat. Eating rice is a luxury for these folks. Their eyes widened when they saw the loaves of bread we brought along.

This family below, live next to the railway line in a dilapidated hut with thatched roofs. They rely on water from the river. None of the family members have identification papers. Because of their empathy, they are stateless. They are so poor and there are so many of them with babies and toddlers. We gave 2 portion of everything. We believe they badly need help. We also gave milk powder to the infant and toddlers of the family. The men work as odd job workers. (Pix below):


In one of the estates, we met a family who had a father whose BOTH legs were amputated after an accident. Prior to the accident he was a lorry driver. With both legs amputated he is now jobless. One could see the depression and hopelessness on his face. (Pix below):

And these are his family togather with Pastor Steven - Mentakab Contact Pax & Hjh. Ainie of Project MADE........(Pix below):

This lady is one of the first few we met. She had an eye injury sustained whilst at work. Those with her are her children and the baby is her grandchild. (Pix below):

These children were left in the care of their eldest sibling who is still a child himself. When we came both their parents were away at work. The children were very good as they looked after one another and were fiercely protective of one another.

The cream rolls, cakes and toys went down very well with therse children and the other children we met along the way.....

April Feeding Program

The April Feeding Program was held with the help of our regular volunteers - Suresh & his family. Below are the details of the feeding programs held just last week:

1. Kuala Selangor Feeding Program - held on Friday 6/5/2011 & Saturday 7/5/2011. This feeding program feeds 30 families living in and around Kuala Selangor, Tanjung Karang, Batang Berjuntai & Ijok.

2. Kapar Feeding Program - held on Saturday 7/5/2011 & Sunday 8/5/2011. This feeding program feeds 30 families living in & around Kapar.

3. Rawang Feeding Program - held on Sunday 8/5/2011. This feeding program feeds 50 orphans & abandoned children living in an orphanage in Rawang.

Apart from the individual families, Project MADE also feeds Shanti Home, Kapar. Shanti Home houses abandoned old & handicapped folks. The numbers in Shanti Home has now increased to 20. We too have increased our food packages to Shanti Home. We now provide 20kg of rice to the Home, instead of the usual 5kg bag.

For the April Feeding, every family is provided with 5 kg bag rice, 1 kg wheat flour, 1 packet meehoon, 1 packet sugar, 1 packet salt, 1 tin sardines & toiletries which includes 1 bar of bath soap & some shampoo. The toiletries were contributed by the students of Sri KDU Secondary School. Suresh & his family brought 60 loaves of bread and these were distributed to the families.

In our visits, the children are the ones who are most excited when meeting us, as they are usually surprised with some extras - bars of chocolates, sweets, biscuits, buns, cakes or fruits....

Check out the pictures, Eva - our photographer - captured of the children's anticipation & eagerness ...

Project MADE also brought with them a baby rocker. And this was passed on to one of the expecting mothers in Kapar. Actually there are three of them awaiting the birth of their babies. In the next round - during the May Feeding, we will bring some nappies, infant clothes & baby feeding bottles and these will be passed to the mothers & their babies. Thank you, Asha for donating these items.

Thank you to all our contributors & donors for the various food items contributed this month. Our gratitude goes to Sri Narayani Foundation, Chern & Kim Guan, Jinny & family, Melisa Chin & The ECO Team, Sri KDU Secondary School, Dr. Tan, Puan Sit Haja & family, Suresh & family.

As the saying goes - a picture paints a thousand words....Check out these pictures which captured gratitude......

March Feeding Program

The March Feeding Program was carried out efficently and smoothly with the help of volunteers and the respective Contact Persons.

Project MADE runs 4 Feeding Programs every month. Hence the need for proper and stringent planning. Below are the details of the various Feeding Programs run by Project MADE and the dates by which the respective programs were held:

1. Friday, 1/4/2011 - Kuala Selangor Feeding Program : involving 30 families in & around Kuala Selangor, Tanjung Karang, Batang Berjuntai & Ijok. This program is funded by The Kuala Selangor Grant;

2. Saturday, 2/4/2011 - Kapar Feeding Program : involving 30 families in & around Kapar. This program is funded by Sri Narayani Foundation;

3. Sunday, 3/4/2011 - Rawang Feeding Program : involving 50 orphans in an orphanage. This program is funded by The Dr. Tan Grant;

4. Monday, 4/4/2011 - The Mentakab Feeding Program : involving 20 families in & around Mentakab, Temerloh, Jerantut & Karak. This program is funded by The ECO Grant.

For the March Feeding, our families were given some special items. Loaves of bread, biscuits and huge packages of meehon were contributed by Sri Narayani Foundation. These items were shared and divided equally amongst the families.

The children were the happiest as they receives small packages of biscuits and bars of chocolates. Check out these pictures. It warms the heart to see them gleef\ully accepting these food items.

Thank you to ALL our Contributors & Donors for the various food items - Sri Narayani Foundation, Jinny, Chern, Kim Guan, Dr. Tan, Puan Siti Haja, Melisa Chin & Gang. A special thank you to our volunteers - Suresh & family.