Today was one of the most exciting day we had since we left Penang on 31 May 2012. We started the day by visiting the Nadjeshda Children’s Rehabilitation Center and followed up by Kyrgyz Concept Tour management office.
The highlight for the day would probably be the arrival of our VIP from Penang, Mr Saw Saik Mun, the current Old Free’s Association Penang Honorary Secretary. We were utmost excited for him to join us at this stage especially when we are 10,000km from home.
Nadjeshda (in English”Hope”) Children’s Rehabilitation Center was started on 17th Sept 1989 with 28 volunteer staff members.
Old Free's members Steven Foong, Adrian King and Sek Lam with sponsors gifts
Daily morning meeting
Years ago, when Gert- Micheal Schalike was born, a woman in the same maternity room was crying and hiding her tears below the pillow. There were doctors standing around her bed, screaming and talking to her. A foreigner in Kyrgyzstan, the mother of Gert- Micheal wanted to understand what was happening to her neighbour. She insisted and found out that the woman was being asked to sign an agreement to give away her newborn baby because it was apparently handicapped.
Even nowadays multiple handicapped children are at risk of being removed from families and placed in institutions where barely no one cares about their fate. According to the Kyrgyz laws, these children are then classified as un-educatable and drop out of the school- system. Access to public kindergarten, public school or to any specialized school is prohibited.
Penang Global Tourism notepad
Twenty- six years ago after the sudden death of the little Gert- Micheal, his mother decided to help children with disabilities, starting with the saved boy from the maternity. This is how the chilcare center Nadjeshda was created. Here adults help children to sing, to paint and to learn to be happy like every other child on this earth.
(courtesy from Nadjeshda)
We spent about 90 minutes in Nadjeshda to understand how the center operates and we took a tour around including a visit to nearby horse ranch where the children undergo horse back riding therapy.
Again, we would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all our generous sponsors from Kendall Motor Oil USA, Penang Global Tourism and Old Free’s Association Penang and Singapore for their wonderful gifts. Without these gifts, our visits will not complete.
Thank you Kendall Motor Oil USA for the wonderful cap!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR KIND GENEROSITY!
Next, both our vehicles were going on separate ways. Toyota Land Cruiser was on her way to Bishkek International Airport to pick our friend from Penang, Saik Mun and Toyota Hilux to Kyrgyz Concept Tour office under the invitation of their General Manager, Mr Daniar Amanaliev.
Daniar and Steven Foong exchanging view on Malaysia
We are the first all Malaysian “Rally” team who entered Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia under Kyrgyz Concept Tour. We took this wonderful opportunity to promote Georgetown Penang as one of the premier tourism destination in Asia.
Friendly staff from Kyrgyz Concept Tour
The FIRST Malaysian "Rally" team handled by Kyrgyz Concept
Among the items shared with Kyrgyz Concept Tour were Penang Global Tourism brochures, recycle bags, notepads and even Penang tourism poster.
Our visits to Kyrgyz Concept Tour office lasted about 2hours where we both exchanged views and information for both Penang and Kyrgyzstan.
Ms. Asel, our focal person in Kyrgyz Concept
Soon after lunch, we quickly set off to our next destination Chichkan which is located approximately 230km away.
Old Free's in Kyrgyzstan
Chichkan is the name of the gorge which located within Kyrgyz National Nature Reserved Park. We stayed in the beautiful Oson Motel located along the famous Chichkan River. This Soviet era building belonged to the former Kyrgyz First Secretary as his weekend home before the building it was turned into Oson Motel in 2007.
Old Free's members from left: Adrian King, Chuan Lok, Steven Foong, Sek Lam, Saik Mun and Kek Fei
Last but not least, do support our cause by visiting Borneo Child Aid Society to provide your financial support. As fellow Malaysian, it would be our responsibilities to offer our hand to under privileged Malaysian children and only through donations will the future for the work in Borneo Child Aid be guaranteed.
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