KUCHING: The Sarawak Society for the Deaf (SSD) will host its annual ‘Charity Food Fair’ at the Association of Churches (ACS) premises along Jalan Stampin here this July 28, running from 8am to noon.
According to SSD chairman Wenderine Foo, the society aims to raise RM100,000 in order to fund its planned activities.
“The planned programmes are early intervention programme for young deaf children, vocational skills training for teenagers, sign language courses as well as other ongoing projects such as the construction of a coffee and snack corner for the carwash area, and an art gallery.
“We appeal for support from the public, corporate bodies and organisations to set up stalls at our charity food fair, as well as to donate goods for sale and cash donations,” she said during a press conference on the annual charity food fair, held at SSD headquarters at Lot 1862, Lorong Laksamana 8 off Jalan Laksamana Cheng Ho here recently.
The fair is expected to house as many as 90 stalls selling food, arts and crafts, agriculture produce and household items.
The food fair is a platform for the society for the deaf to be closer to the ‘hearing community’, as well as for those under its umbrella to be independent and more confident in their interactions and also in seeking livelihood.
“We’re actually very proud because members of the deaf community truly show that they are capable of anything. Some have gone on to work in the hospitality industry or in factories, and some have even become entrepreneurs,” Foo enthused.
She also encouraged members of the public to learn sign language at the SSD headquarters as an additional form of communications.
“Courses are conducted every Monday and Wednesday for three months, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm (per session) for only RM100. If more members of the public come and learn sign language, it would help the deaf society feel less isolated from the community,” Foo said.
To date, there are about 300 members, comprising school-children, young adults and working adults, who regularly meet on weekends at the SSD headquarters.
For more information regarding the charity food fair, send SMS or WhatsApp texts to the organising chairman Ernest Ting via 012-8118260, fax to 082-428 334, or send emails to [email protected].