Project Dignity

11 Sept 2010

The events that happened

Ms S the Sandwich Teacher

I always thought that Ms S is too good looking to be a teacher to teach hawker to make sandwiches. I was proven right when she came down to view the stall at Balestier. The men starts to stare. For Ms S is German and I believe there is not many German hawker teacher in Singapore. I will await for her concept on how to sell sandwiches at a hawker stall.

The newspaper interview

To overcome the lssue No 4, I need publicity. I need coverage for PD and the most viable option is publicity. Through a mutual friend, Mr Reporter heard of my project & he conducted the interview on site. The newspaper articles came out on the Sunday Chinese newspaper and over the next four days total of 300 plus phone calls were received.

The callers are mainly the unemployed in their 50's and 60's with some keen on teaching. My response to them is that I need to start off with the disabled as I need to fine tune PD's curriculum. If it work on the disabled then it will work with the abled bodied. Maybe I am wrong. The over 300 telephone calls really boost my confidence in PD, I realised that there is a need. I noted all the telephone numbers and will call them after October the 1st. Some sound desperate.

The Renovator

There are people that believe what I am trying to do. Most think that it will be very challenging and failure is a very real option. My renovator is one of them and yet he supported me for the last two sites that I have viewed and he quoted. In this site, he is still supportive and guiding me on the money I need to spent for the site at Balestier.

The case of the leper

I do make mistake. One day in the food court a lady in her 50's came up. She is a friend of the cleaner and was told about Project Dignity. We talk & I explain the details to her. After my presentation there was a long pause. All the time we were talking her hands were below the table. She is very keen and then I notice the gloved hands. She has a form of minor leprosy. She noticed my discomfort.

Later on. I spoke with one of my friends who owns a food court chain (I have several industry expert who I go to to seek guidance) He advise me that she do not qualified. I have to break the news to her.

On 6 Sep

The man with fits decided to drop out. To be precise it is the family who felt he should stick to his existing job and get $22 per day. I guess as a parent myself I can appreciate the feeling of the Mother who wants security for the son and the siblings who believe in his ability to support himself. At least the reqular income of $22 per day from placing paperclip is assured. I felt sad as I thought this is what he wanted and I truly beieve he can do it if I can find him a good partner. I even spoke to a Doctor friend at SGH to understand fit.

The caregiver will know best.

The Student Mr V

'Please keep us in mind' . This was part of the sms message from Mr. V on the eve of Hari Raya. He and his wife was suppose to be my 4th & 5th students. About two weeks ago I receive a call from Mr. V who was an officer in the uniformed services. About a year ago, he had a medical problem which caused him to be going blind. He eventually lost his sight. he wanted to seek some advise on one of his business idea and in the conversation I told him about PD. I explain PD to him and asked him to think about it. I wanted to train him to do sandwiches and salads in one of my stall. We ended the conversation and he told me he want to discuss with his wife. A few days later, he called and he is very enthusiatic about the idea of starting up a business with his wife. (The wife is actually working part time and looking after him.)

This morning Y has a seizure and when into surgery. We are suppose to meet the coming Thursday(The eve of Hari Raya) on the work details. He is keen and together with his wife may actually work. He was sighted before his illness and do understand the food prodect better. Now I have to wait and pray for him. When u are blind from young and when u are blind in your early 30's, it is very difference. Depression set in. V is still in high depency ward.

I will definitely keep him in mind.....

To be continued

Project Dignity

19 Aug

Today I interviewed some of the students for the school. Many thanks to Servehope for arranging the interviews.

The first interviewee is a boy or a 32 years old man called PH who suffers from fits. He came with his sister & the sister's godma. The interview starts with the introduction to Project Dignity. You can tell from the look of PH eyes that he is engrossed but sure whether he likes it or not. The sister explains the inabilty of the brother.

When she finished I turn to PH and asked 'Do u know what we are talking about?'

He shaked his head and the sister said answer the question and continued with the history of the brother and the concern of her Mom. (I have come to understand the predicament of the people or caregiver surrounding a disabled. As the caregiver be it the parents or sibling grow older, the disabled child grews as well. The worry comes when the caregiver cannot care any further).

Again I turn to ask the boy 'Do you know what we are talking about?'.

There was a long pause and he nodded and cried. 'I want to do this'. There was another paused as he wiped his tears with the back of his hand. 'Uncle Seng Choon, I cannot carburator'. He studded and his left hand pointing at his right palm. 'Uncle Seng Choon, I cannot carburator' He repeated earnestly. 'Oh' I exclaimed 'you mean' I paused without completing the last statement.

'Not to worry I get you a calculator'. At that moment, I emptied my wallet a two, five and a ten dollar note. I have to be sure. I cannot allow my passion to help cloud my objectivity of whether he can do the work. 'What is this plus this?' showing a five and a two dollars note. 'SEVEN' he shouted and a big smile spread across his face. I believe I can try to help him work in PD.

The next interviewee is more challenging - Blind man.

When Servehope spoke to me about a blind man wanting to learn the hawker trade, I told myself it will be quite challenging never heard of a blind man in the hawker trade.

His case involves the Mother as well. Mother care very much for her son and worried that the son will have a problem to look after him after she passed away. The worry is very real as the son do lacks skills to provide for himself and is just learning computer skill. I ponder the situation for several days without calling her. What can a blind man do as a hawker?

The idea comes to me (it is always good to talk to friends) when a friend show me the $2.00 Singapore note, there is a two dots on the top right hand corner- Braille on dollar note. Actually not many people know about this feature.

The interview was an emotional one. For a start I boot up my computer and explain to the Mother. The blind boy in the meantime kept touching the computer interrupting the Powerpoint Presentation. At the end, I decided to switch to a word software and allow him to do some typing. He typed.

'What can you do as a hawker?' I asked. He sway his head. 'Can u collect money?' I enquired further. He smile. I took out a $2, $5 and a $10 note. 'How much is this?' $2 dollars' he replied. Then the $5 and the $10. 'very good, 3 out of 3' I handled him a 4th dollar note.'this is not a Singapore dollar' I explained.

'Yes lt is a US$ 1 note'. You passed. The next gesture surprised me. He took out his hankerchief & wipe his tears. A blind man cried, the tears of eyes that cannot see.

Questions follows with more questions, not from the Mother but from the blind boy. Finally he said 'I want to do this' turning towards his Mother.

'I really don't know whether this will work. I am willing to try if you are willing to give it a try too. ' I explained. 'Yes' came the reply.

As we were walking out. He hold my hand and his face move towards my face making sure I heard what he is going to tell me. There was a pause and the word 'Hope' came out of his mouth. The word cause a shiver down my spine. I felt a sudden surge of emotion down my throat.

To be continued

Writing Blog

This blog is written for my students. It was the idea of the first batch of Entrepreneurship student who feels that my overseas travel experience will be good learning experience for them.

One of them took the intiative to create this JHJW blog. It has to be politically correct and educational.

Do any of the students still do read this, I really don't know.....