Thursday 19 August 2010

News Article (Al Birr Wa Taqwa Charity Project, 2010)

8 families receive aid from DHSB charity project

Tuesday, August 17, 2010
 
As part of its efforts to help the underprivileged families in the country, the Darussalam Holdings Sdn Bhd (DHSB) is organising a three-day campaign to hand out contribution to families in Brunei-Muara, Tutong and Belait districts.

The humanitarian effort is DHSB's "Al Birri Wa Taqwa" project which started last year.

For this second project, the 14 families were chosen by DHSB after reviewing registered lists of people in need from "Sounds of Hope", a non-governmental organisation, and the Social Welfare branch at Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (Ripas) Hospital.

Eight of the selected families in the Brunei-Muara district received the contribution yesterday.

The contribution in the form of cash, groceries, clothing, beds and some housekeeping materials were handed over by DHSB Managing Director Hj Mahmud Hj Mohamed.

A representative of DHSB, Hj Samsul explained the criteria which have to be met before donations were handed over.

He said that the recipients would have houses deemed unsafe; be a single mother or father with several children; have mental disorders or diseases and or an income that does not cover basic family health.

In a recent interview with DHSB Managing Director, he said that originally the project was to help orphans in the Sultanate, but it was later changed to help impoverish families instead considering that a lot of donations have being given to orphans but not many for the underprivileged families.

Hj Mahmud also said that response from the public and organisations towards the "Al Birri Wa Taqwa" project has been great. He added that the project was organised in conjunction with Ramadhan and Syawal.

"We also want the families to celebrate the purity of Ramadhan and the beauty of Syawal," he said in the interview. The managing director invited members of the public who wish to contribute to contact the DHSB's Human Resource Department to get more information on the project.

Also joining in on the charity campaign yesterday was some 17 representatives from Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical College (MTSSR), comprising 11 students, five lecturers and an Assistant Head of Department.

Asked of the students' response to their involvement in the campaign, Masfarizawati Hj Aminuddin, MTSSR Marketing and Hospitality lecturer said that to her surprise, the students remained excited throughout all the eight visits.

"I thought they would get tired, but they didn't".

She added, "Some even said they had culture shock! They did not know that we had people living in such poverty here. It was surely an eye opener for them, and I think it will help them work harder for themselves and their families".

Masfarizawati added that MTSSR is planning on helping out again next year.

Today DHSB will present the donation to a family in Tutong district, while four others in the Belait district will receive theirs tomorrow.

The Brunei Times

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