FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Charito (front row, second right) with members and staff of the paediatric ward before the distribution of gifts.
THE Miri Petroleum Ladies Association has the well-being of both the less fortunate and the environment close to its heart.
Three recent projects – Shoe Box of Thanks, making of baskets and crafts from recycled papers and clothing and learning about 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle) – are good examples of its volunteerism and humanitarian spirit .
Under the Shoe Box of Thanks project, initiated this year by their president Charito Paulino, members recycled old shoe boxes by wrapping them in decorative papers to create colourful gift containers.
During their Mother’s Day celebration on May 14, members and friends donated over RM600 to buy toileteries, stationery, books, candies, toys, cereals and Ribena (health drink).
The goodies were packed in 60 recycled shoe boxes and presented to the young patients at the paediatric ward of Miri Hospital.
Charito thanked the hospital staff for giving the Association the opportunity to help the children at the ward.
“We hope to make the project an annual charitable event – as what has been successfully done in the UK. We also hope to conserve the environment by recycling shoe boxes,” she told The Borneo Post after the presentation.
Praising members and friends for making the project a success, she said the Shoe Box of Thanks is the Association’s way of “giving back for all the blessings it has received.”
The presentation has originally been scheduled after the Association’s 27th anniversary celebration on Nov 12, 2013 but since Charito will be leaving for Australia end of this month, it was brought forward.
Molly Ellen, who was among the members visiting the hospital, said she found the experience rewarding, especially for bringing the smiles back to faces of the children and their parents.
“We had the opportunity to chat with some of the parents. I know how it feels to be in their shoes – and I pray all the children will get well soon. Giving our time, although short, means a lot to the parents,” Molly added.
The other two projects – making of baskets and crafts from recycled papers and clothing, and learning about 3R (reduce, reuse and recycle – were carried out for the first time in conjunction with World Earth Day on April 22.
For making baskets and handicrafts, members spent half a day learning the skills from children with special needs at the community rehabilitation centre (PDK), Piasau Camp.
Charito said to reciprocate, the Association will teach the children how to make other handicrafts to help them become multi-skilled and self-reliant. The Association also pledged to donate items bought with the RM987 raised during its charity bake sale, and the funds from its newly-introduced coin collection box project.
PDK Miri at Piasau Camp is among 38 such centres set up by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to conduct rehabilitation and training for the disabled.
Meanwhile, at the recycling centre of the Miri Tzu Chi Founation at Jee Foh Road, members were briefed on various aspects of recycling by Eric Lim, officer in-charge of recycling and environment.
They were also shown how to recycle plastic bottles.
Recycling is one of the Foundation’s activities to raise funds for humanitarian projects, particularly in Miri. These include assistance for needy students, and last year alone, RM120,000 was allocated for the project.
About RM15,000 is needed monthly to help 80 poor families pay for food, medicine and transportation.
Charito is optimistic that with the recycling knowledge gained, members could start or continue with community-based 3R activities at their homes in line with Miri City’s greening programme.
The recent Japanese Open House, organised at Hornbill House, Piasau Camp, was an ideal avenue to promote the 3R concept.
The Japanese members used cardboards and other recycled materials to build a Sakura Tree. Other goodies were wrapped in recycleable cloth.
The Miri Petroleum Ladies Association, a non-profit organisation founded in1986, now has about 70 members from 20 countries – Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Nigeria, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Netherland, France, India, Nepal, Egypt Venezuela, China, Japan and Australia.
Membership was initially open to the women staff, wives of pensioners and families of Sarawak Shell Berhad, Sabah Shell Berhad, Petronas Bhd, Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd and contractors of petroleum-related industries residing in Miri.
In 1996, membership was extended to all women in Miri to encourage cross-cultural exchange and achieve the Association’s other objectives of promoting goodwill and racial harmony, providing facilities for educational arts, cultural and recreational development and raising funds for charities.