From Cikgu Umi With Love

*From: * Umi Kalsom Mokmin
*Date: *Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:39:39 -0700 (PDT)

Assalamualaikum everyone,

I am so glad that this 1st batch of PKPians has already thought about
giving back to the society. This is also what Arwah Cikgu Teh has been
doing and preaching all this while.

A little bit update from me on Rumah Anak Yatim Ummu Salamah, Gerik, Perak.

Last Sunday, 21/8 I went to this rumah anak yatim. The journey took about one and a half hour (normal driving) from Kulim. My intention is to visit the place and distribute duit raya to those kids.

I choose this rumah anak yatim because it is operated by Mufahuddin Abdul Razak. He is an ex student, a 4th batch of MRSM Kulim and I have taught him before in Form 4&5.

It is a private rumah anak yatim. He and his wife operate it based solely on donations and contributions from the public and some from ex students. Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat only visit to check the place.

The place is quite basic- bangunan rumah kayu which serves as their house and 'hostel' for the kids. This hostel is not like the one that you stayed in Kulim. He is in the process of building small concrete house for the boys- tak siap lagi-slow progress; masih bergantung pada sumbangan.

There are 20 anak yatim, 7girls and 13 boys ranging from 6-17 years old, mostly anak-anak ibu tunggal. Their parents do not have enough to feed them or their earnings is not enough to send them to school. Mufahuddin tries to give them a decent life; send them to school and provide basic tuition.

There are also 18 other anak yatim under his care but stay outside or in hostels in other schools. He provides them some money so that they can still go school.

My duit raya is not that much but I hope it bring cheers to these needy kids. More can be done to this rumah anak yatim. As far as clothes is concerned, people have donated enough. Ummu Salamah told me that the kids lack reference books(not necessarily new ones), the kind that we use for PMR and SPM. . This is the kind of incentives they give to the children; if they get A's in their tests or exam, they can go home for the weekend! Not money or material wealth like we use to give to our children.

How many of us are willing to do like Mufahuddin; who forgoes his own needs and has the patient to take care of these kids who are already grown up and have their own values. I don't think I can do that. We are blessed with plenty, at least what we can do is try to give a decent and meaningful life to these unfortunate kids and make them useful to the society.

Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri and have a wonderful holiday.

Cikgu Umi.