Two residents, Ali Voo (left) and Karen Hee (in wheelchair) receiving their MyKads from NRD Sabah deputy director, Janet David with Yakub (in white songkok) looking on.
KOTA KINABALU (Dec 1): Bukit Harapan nearly became a victim of fictitious solicitations for public funds.
Its founder, Datuk Anne Keyworth, disclosed that one of their regular donors had been approached by a third party to solicit funds for Bukit Harapan.
“We will never and have never engaged a third party to solicit public donation,” stressed Audra Keyworth, the administrator of Bukit Harapan.
She said a police report had been lodged to safeguard the interests and image of the home.
Bukit Harapan, a home for special needs people that has been operating for more than 30 years, is finding it tough to keep up with its daily needs.
With more than 40 residents – most of them having called Bukit Harapan their home for more than 20 years – to care for, the pandemic has taken a toll on the operations of the centre, said Audra.
“While we understand that the pandemic has caused much misery to many people, it has badly affected the operations of the home, as we are seeing less donors coming forward.
“With upkeeps to maintain including staff’s salary, making market and medical runs with two vehicles, the costs are skyrocketing. More so now, as we are receiving less help than before,” she lamented.
The home which was struck by a Covid outbreak in August, has been making do with what it has. That included seeing to the needs of documentation of a handful of residents, who had been abandoned and orphaned years ago.
“When the predicament of these children was highlighted to Datuk Yakub Khan, who is the Karambunai assemblyman, late last year, he took the matter up and promised to help the affected children, who are locals but abandoned before they reached the age of 12,” she said in a statement.
And recently, Yakub who is Sabah Science, Technology and Innovation Minister delivered the promise, when the National Registration Department (NRD) came and delivered the new identity cards for the children.
“We are very grateful to the kind deeds of Datuk Yakub and the officials of NRD for making it possible as these children can now seek proper medical treatment in the government hospitals. This is an early Christmas present for these children,” Audra said.
Anne who is fondly known as Mama Anne, is touched and grateful to Yakub for making several visits to the Home.
“We hope that more politicians would go down to the ground and visit those in need, especially during this difficult time,” she said.
Bukit Harapan currently has 41 residents comprising 21 females and 20 males, with ages between eight and 52. The centre located at Km 4, Jalan Tuaran bypass in Manggatal, can be reached at 088-424567 or Audra at 0198505308.