Why a Siloam House?
There is an estimated population of 200,000 people with intellectual disabilities in Malaysia and many of them have no proper homes where they could live after the death of their carers. There are only around 500 who have managed to find places in government institutions or group homes and a very small number are in homes run by NGOs.
With the demand being so great, the institutions and homes are always overcrowded and could not adequately provide the needed attention and nurturing that people with disabilities need. Those who have been abandoned from young grow up never experiencing the joys and warmth of a family.
Siloam House is founded to assist people with intellectual disabilities in their dire need for a place they can call their own.
Vision and Objectives
The main objective of Siloam House is to set up homes in various places for small groups of people with intellectual disabilities. The vision is to see them living together as a family and know that they truly belong.
It is also to see that as a family, they become self-supportive. For example, two or more of the family members can be trained and then find employment or have their own business whilst others who cannot find employment can stay at home to look after the home.
The aim is so that they can help each other to live meaningful, purposeful lives, with dignity and self-respect and be independent of handouts.
Plans: Steps to achieving theVision
We started Siloam House with four family members, two men and two ladies: Robert Lee Kong Yuen, Thong Kong Weng, Soo Phooi Sun and Loh Mee Ying on March 1, 2002. Later in the year, Lee Teng Cheong also came to join us.
We are now preparing ourselves to live as a family and learning how to manage a house on our own. All of us except for Phooi Sun, have opted to go out and work and to contribute to the household expenses, such as electricity and water and washing detergents.
Robert works as a petrol station assistant, Kong Weng as a waiter, Teng Cheong and Mee Ying wash cups at a coffee shop and Saw Gaik does a few other jobs too. We would like to be the first household to model and guide others on how to live together as a family.
Once our first building is completed, we will be able to invite participation from the following people:
1. People who have lost their parents and have no means of support and may be living in places not suited to their needs.
2. Individuals who want to find open employment in hotel and catering services, animal husbandry, and farming may also join us for a short-term training programme.
3. Individuals who want to learn some self-help skills, leisure skills and other skills which can help them to be more independent at home can also join us on a short term arrangement.
4. Individuals can also stay with us for a few days while their parents are busy.
(For further details please contact Siloam House at 03-91313940.) |
