On The Road Again - Community Stories | Shelter Home for Children

On The Road Again

19 October 2015

Community Food Parcels delivered at Kampong Pandan Indian Settlement. (l-r) Nirmen and Krishna Alagu study at SMK Pandan Jaya. Their mother works in security for an Ampang hospital.

Our mission in Shelter is to give children at risk a childhood and to empower them to open windows of opportunity. Brothers Nirmen, 15 and Krishna Alagu 13, of Kampong Pandan Indian Settlement in Maluri, Cheras spoke to Community intern, Rachel Ranjini on what they hope for and plans to achieve it.

“Businessman! But my favourite is football” answered Nirmen. Krishna , his older brother echoed that he thought being a businessman sounds funny, and that he could not picture how it could come to pass for a slum boy like him. Like Nirmen, children of 80 families here need enterprise and grit to advance.

Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. We believe that opportunities often stem from misfortune or temporary setbacks. Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises. Can every child have a fair turn to be as great as he pleases?

Karthik Dass 5, at Kampong Pandan collects provision for his home. He is the son of a labourer and wants to be a police officer.

Shelter Community seeks your skill to open three windows: *First, we need sponsors to finance and set-up a tuition centre (pondok) within Kampong Pandan Indian settlement. Second, we need teachers for English and Mathematics. Thirdly, dental and medical relief aid for children and families affected.

Shelter Community Officer, Xavier Gomez. (l-r) Thinesha Thiyagarajan (3 yrs) , Saroja Sitaraman at Desa Mentari low cost flats.

As 2015 ends, we seek resources and new contributors. 38 families in the Klang valley are being reached with food aid while their statuses reviewed every 6 months. Our aim is not only to train and raise community leaders within marginalised groups but to develop a nucleolus of self-reliance and fortitude.

Dreams do come true, if only we wish hard enough. You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it. We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can open the windows to build our youth for the future. Join us and make young dreams come true.