Honey4Boyz

Posted by Xian Jin I joined the Kiwanis Youth Camp again this year, since last year's camp had been a truly great experience. The theme was 'Learn, Live & Lead Together.' What I like about these sort of camps is that I can try something new, not just physical and endurance activities but also learning how to live up to our full potential. This time, the campsite was in Dusun Eco Resort. Before we reached there, we visited a special needs centre.  I could see that the camp participants were trying to interact with them, even though most of them were not familiar with the special needs people. I was touched to see that there were no barriers between us and the special needs people. We played telematches and had fun with them. When I reached Dusun Eco Resort, I thought that it was very clean and spacious. I immediately felt at home. Some of us already knew each other so I just stuck around with the familiar faces. After we were divided into groups, ...

I think it's time to update about Ken, the boy that I had shared in my earlier post, Misconceptions about Down syndrome . I've observed and guided him for about 7 months as a volunteer at PKIK. It was a learning journey for me, full of little discovery here and there.  I've to put aside my academic plans. Ken has no speech and poor motor skills. So in a classroom setting, we do mainly activities that help with his fine motor skills. These are movements to the hands, wrists, fingers, feet, etc in coordination with the eyes. They are smaller actions such as throw/catch balls, kick/pass balls, squeezing balls, using a pair of scissors to cut, using a pencil to write carefully and other tasks that occur daily. I usually put a surprise toy inside a paper bag. Ken would use the scissors to cut open the bag, but even if the toy drops out halfway, he would still continue cutting until the bag is completely separated. Ken is not very keen in arts, especially if it g...

Persatuan Kanak-kanak Istimewa (PKIK), a learning centre for persons with learning disabilities had their Sports Day in Kajang Utama recently. There were about 90 students/trainees who came along with their families.   The kids were very at ease and would pose for a picture any time. A family affair for us to volunteer at the Sports Day. Daddy was the cameraman, assisting him was Jin. I helped at the finishing line. Brandon was pretty excited at first, but the hot sun drained him fast. Wei & I took part in the family game. We didn't get a prize, much to his disappointment cos he thot he could beat the aunties but these 'aunties' were PRO!   March past from the little ones to adult trainees. Warm-up and stretch before the events. Sports events for the little kids. The parents were enjoying themselves so much in these events. Because of their encouragement and support, these kids beat their physical disability to finish the races. And everyone...

I will be sharing three disabilities that are increasingly prevalent:  cerebral palsy , autism disorders and Down syndrome  from my experience as a volunteer at PKIK (read  more ). XianJin followed me to PKIK during the school holidays in March. He's kinda 'stunned' to see the environment and disabled kids in the beginning. And pretty nervous like me too. He played some soothing music in the background while we're attending to the kids. Classical music does have a very calming effect. When he's more warmed up, he even helped to guide a student. He observed that during a task to hang clothes peg on a line, the student had arranged them in a repeated similar colour pattern. Like XianJin, many of us have some common misconceptions about people with learning disabilities. I think most people can pick out a person with Down syndrome. People with Down's have some characteristics that make them look like each other, eg  eyes that are often almond-shaped an...

I will be sharing three disabilities that are increasingly prevalent:  cerebral palsy , autism disorders and Down syndrome   from my experience as a volunteer at PKIK (read more ). Autism is a common disability at PKIK, something like 7 out of 10 students have autism disorders (the other 2 for Down Syndrome & 1 for CP). It's a broad term, meaning the child can be a little autistic or very autistic. The disability can be devastating that may require institutional care, and on another spectrum,  you've the Asperger syndrome, which is often of average or above average intelligence.  Loges is 16yo, he joined the Day Training Programme in mid 2011. He was accompanied by his mother to attend the programme for more than a year. Finally, in March this year, he didn't need a chaperon anymore. Like many other autistic kids there, he looks like a typical child. If these kids remain still, it's kinda hard to identify those who have the autism disorders.  ...

I will be sharing three disabilities that are increasingly prevalent: cerebral palsy, autism disorders and Down syndrome from my experience as a volunteer at PKIK (read more ).  I met RuYi at the Day Training Programme. She's  the first CP child I know at PKIK. At 12 years old, she has the height of a 6-year-old. I was pretty nervous as I've no idea where to start. She has such a sweet smile that put me at ease immediately. Her caretaker acted as her translator at first. I realise that she could understand Tamil cos it's the mother tongue of her caretaker. She could also understand  English and Malay fairly well.  She started with some simple motor-skill coordination puzzle.  You see,   RuYi sees the world from a horizontal point of view. She spends her day lying down, in bed or on the ground. She waits for her caretaker to carry her around as she has   uncoordinated movements and postures.  Her immobile condition did not rob the joy o...

Lemongrass Tea anyone?  This lemongrass is part of the fruit and vegetable garden grown by the young adults at Joy Home in Semenyih. This is a place where the young adults with learning disabilities learn to live ordinary lives with minimal support, with their peers and away from their families. They usually check in on Monday and check out on Friday. During the day,  they will continue to go to their learning / training centre at PKIK..... Indeed true that we don't have to look hard to find opportunities to volunteer. One of the best places is in the community we live in. A few phone calls later and I learnt about  PKIK  or Persatuan Kanak-kanak Istimewa Kajang. It's not a home for special needs' people, rather it's a learning or training centre for children or persons with learning disabilities.  Currently, they have more than 90 students occupying 5 shoplots in Kajang Utama. Some of the students were referred by the nearby hospitals in Ka...