Boats from Generous Hearts

In 2005, POHD - the Penang Office for Human Development - a ministry of a Penang Church, went to the rescue of 8 fishermen families, whose boats and fishing equipment were destroyed in the 26th December 2004 Tsunami in Langkawi, Malaysia and whose homes were destroyed in a fire that broke out a month later.

The 2 men team, comprising Vincent Lim and Joachim were brought to Taman Nilam, where the fishermen were temporarily staying and interviewed several families. Both men went back to Penang and worked throughout the night.

In 2 short days, they managed to raise RM30,000 for the purchase of 8 boats and fishing equipments. Eight families were selected to receive the boats and fishing equipments.

The 1st photo shows Vincent Lim with the receipents of the boats after a kenduri in one of their house.

The 2nd photo shows Zakaria Mohd in his new boat.

The 3rd photo shows 3 of the fishermen with a bountiful catch of kingsize prawns from a day's catch in their new boats.

The 4th photo shows the size of the prawns caught.

The 5th photo shows 4 of the new boats and their receipents.

Thank you POHD and thank you Malaysians for your generosity in rebuilding these fishermen's lives!

Vicki Mah, Social Worker

RM6 A Day

It is a real back breaking job for just RM6 a day or maybe a little bit more depending on how much work is accomplished in that day.

The boats of the ikan bilis factories next to Bukit Malut brings in the catch. Ikan bilis are sorted by size and graded. Mostly the womenfolk of Bukit Malut are offered the job of peeling the ikan bilis (taking off the head and insides).

Next time anyone of you comes to Langkawi and buy ikan bilis - think of the people who prepared them for you.

Vicki Mah, Social Worker

The Handicapped and the Sick at Bukit Malut, Langkawi

The 1st photo shows 2 of Aishah's daughters, one of the fire victims of Bukit Malut. All 4 of her daughters were born with any eye disorder that makes them squint in the daylight and this is painful sometimes. According to Aishah, all her daughters are normal at night.

I brought them to the specialist clinic at the Langkawi General Hospital where an eye specialist attended to them. He recommended that they wear protective sun glasses in the daytime while he runs other tests on their eye conditions. Dont' they look cute with their sun glasses in the 3rd photo?

The 4th photo shows Yusof Jamaludin and his sister. Yusuf is going totally blind and can only see vaguely through one eye while his sister's condition is slightly better.

I brought them to see the eye specialist and a cataract operation was arranged for Yusuf's sister. However the operation did not do much for Yusuf's sister, but she said that her condition was slightly better after the operation. Unfortunately for Yusuf, he was too far gone and nothing could be done.

The 5th photo shows Ismail, 17 years old, who was born handicapped. He cannot walk nor talk, but he is a very cheerful and intelligent young man. His father recently died of old age and Yusuf is left on his own while his 59 years old mother goes to work for RM6 a day processing ikan bilis at a nearby ikan bilis factory whenever there is work to do. During hard times, her neighbours chip in to help. But even their neighours have their own problems too, therefore I help whenever I can.

Vicki Mah, Social Worker