Wan (second left) and Sibu 4WD Team representative Teu Meu Heng (right) hand over food to Jugah Stan (third left) representing fire victims in Bintangor.
SIBU: Fire victims in Bintangor and Sibu received assistance to lessen their hardship after losing their belongings.
According to Hope Place founder Kelvin Wan, they received a call for help from the fire victims of Rumah Mansor.
“Last Saturday, Hope Place volunteers together with Sibu 4WD Team volunteers handed over rice, cooking oil, salt, sugar, Milo, biscuits, noodles, mattresses, pillows and blankets to fire victims in Bintangor,” Wan said in a press release.
He pointed out that a total of seven houses were burned down, leaving 10 people homeless.
Nobody was staying in five of the houses though the owners came back occasionally during Gawai Dayak and Christmas celebrations.
“On normal days only two families live here,” he said.
According to Wan, one of the fire victims lost 50 gunnies of rice – each weighing 50kg.
From there, they extended assistance to another group of fire victims on the same day in Sibu where fire gutted three wooden houses, leaving 10 people homeless.
“Hope Place volunteers together with Sibu 4WD Team volunteers also handed over rice, cooking oil, water, salt, sugar, Milo, biscuits, noodles, mattresses, pillows and blankets to the fire victims in Sibu.”
Hope Place is an NGO that provides poor and less fortunate families essential food items like rice, cooking oil, sugar, salt, biscuits and noodles.
Many of them barely earn enough to get through the month, hence are grateful for the basic necessities delivered to them.
Families that have children with special needs or elderly or disabled people are given milk powder, oats and diapers.
Hope Place delivers aid once every two months due to the many families on their list.
They are supporting 123 families.
For information on how you can help, Hope Place can be reached at 013-567 2775 from 9am to 12pm, Mondays to Fridays.
Anyone making a donation can ask for a receipt from the staff at Hope Place.