Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Mayor of North East CDC, Zainul Abidin Rasheed and Presidentbanoo Karam Bana in a conversation with Mr Osman bin Ahmad, whose twin daughters received wheelchairs. Haneesa HabibIn an effort to assist residents of welfare homes in Singapore, the Ismaili Council for Malaysia and Singapore donated 100 wheelchairs during a luncheon ceremony organised by the North East Community Development Council (CDC) in Singapore on 1 February 2009.
The wheelchairs were presented in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebrations by the Mayor for the North East CDC and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Zainul Abidin Rasheed, and Mrs Karam Bana, who represented her husband Mr Inayat Bana, the President of the Ismaili Council for Malaysia and Singapore.
The wheelchairs went to several social welfare groups, and a pair of them was also presented to the twin daughters of Mr Osman Bin Ahmad, a 50 year old taxi driver. His daughters, who have cerebral palsy, had been sharing a single wheelchair that was worn out from years of use. Struggling to support his daughters on a modest monthly income, he had been unable to replace it.
His Excellency Zainul Abidin Rasheed and Presidentbanoo Karam Bana sit with representatives of the welfare homes during the luncheon, held in conjunction with Chinese New Year celebrations in Singapore. Haneesa HabibThe social welfare group recipients include the Metta Day Rehabilitation Centre, the Jamiyah Home for the Aged and the All Saints Home. Residents of these facilities will be able to borrow and use the wheelchairs.
The Metta Day Rehabilitation Centre, partially funded by Singapore's Ministry of Health, was established to provide rehabilitative care to those who suffer from mild physical impairment as a result of stroke or other illnesses. The Jamiyah Home for the Aged is a state of the art facility that provides shelter and care for the elderly and the destitute, with activities that encompass educational, religious, welfare and social programmes. Similarly, All Saints Home provides residential nursing care for the elderly sick.
His Excellency Zainul Abidin Rasheed and Presidentbanoo Karam Bana present a wheelchair to a social welfare group representative. Haneesa HabibWhile the three centres were set up by Buddhist, Muslim and Christian groups respectively, they are each open to people of all races and religions. This is reflective of Singapore's emphasis on harmony and pluralism within a multiracial society.
His Excellency Zainul Abidin Rasheed was part of the delegation that met with Mawlana Hazar Imam during his Golden Jubilee visit to Singapore in December. In his welcome address, he thanked the Ismaili Council for its donation. He spoke fondly of Hazar Imam whom he has known for 25 years, and whose health and education programmes benefit people around the world.
