Fatimah and Ong (right) looking at the fresh fruits on sale at the Dyslexia Fund Raising and Charity Food & Fun Fair 2016. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: Dyslexia Association of Sarawak (DASwk) needs help to build an institute at Desa Wira in Batu Kawa here.
Minister of Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Datuk Fatimah Abdullah hoped corporate bodies and individuals could assist to help materialise the RM4.2 million complex on 1.5 acres given by the state government.
“So far, DASwk has raised around RM400,000 from fund-raising events such as concerts, charity dinner and food fairs,” she told reporters at Dyslexia Fund Raising and Charity Food & Fun Fair 2016 at Unimas’ Faculty of Medicine & Health Science here yesterday.
Fatimah, who is also DASwk advisor, said the proposed institute would have classrooms, hostels and both administrative and vocational blocks.
“DASwk aspires to have its own institute so that it can expand its services, including reaching out to families with dyslexic children not only in the state but those outside,” she explained, adding that the association was operating temporarily at a government building along Jalan Maxwell.
Fatimah, who has contributed RM10,000 from her minor rural project (MRP) grant towards the building fund, acknowledged that the financial aid needed by DASwk was no small figure.
“But the construction of the institute can kick off with the construction of the administrative block first. You don’t have to do everything at one go.”
Around RM50,000 was raised from ticket sales from the fair that featured 57 booth operators from various organisations, including hotels, supermarkets and non-governmental organisations.
Visitors who purchased tickets were able to exchange them for food such as nasi lemak, satay, crispy chicken, chicken pie, pastries as well as toys, textiles or second-hand items. There were also activities such as face painting, clown performances with balloon sculptures, handicraft workshop, leaf art painting workshop and live band performances to entertain the visitors.
Also present at the press conference were DASwk president Dr Ong Puay Hoon, vice president Richard Sia and organising chairperson Mok Venia.