KUALA LUMPUR: Two non-profit organisations hope to raise funds for the disabled through the sale of a book featuring watercolour paintings of Malaysian bird species.
The "Birds of Malaysia: An Artist's Love" is an anthology of 120 watercolour paintings of some of the rarest birds by former Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) deputy director, Yeow Teck Chai.
Proceeds from the sale will go to the Society For The Severely Mentally Handicapped, Selangor and Wilayah Persekutuan (SSMH) and the Malaysian SLE Association (PSLEM).
SSMH president Fadillah Mohd Yakin said with the Covid-19 pandemic that had hampered their annual fund-raising events, the art book was regarded as a silver lining.
Her organisation, which requires RM35,000 a month to run, provides rehabilitation to children and youths with mental and physical disabilities. A large portion of funding comes from public donations.
"We receive about 20 children daily, with eight to nine staff members. We provide training programmes to help develop their motor and physical skills.
"Currently, we are also working with experts to organise training sessions to engage with the children.
"Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we had to cancel our year-end fund-raising event.
"We are grateful that Mr Yeow wants to donating 40 per cent from the sale of the books to SSMH, with another 40 per cent to PSLEM," she said during a virtual press conference here, today.
Similarly, the pandemic also forced PSLEM, a non-profit helping patients Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or lupus, to cancel their largest annual charity event, the Walk-A-Payung walkathon, slated for last July.
Its president Dr Heselynn Hussein said the organisation need funds to roll out subsidies for SLE patients to get medicines, assistive devices and pay for transportation fees.
"We are able to operate through funds from well-wishers, donors and corporate bodies.
"We only have a bare minimum to pull through this year. Our target is to raise RM200,000 for SSMH and another RM200,000 for PSLEM. This will help us to cover part of our expenses for 2020.
Thanking Yeow, she said the artist also donated some of his proceeds from his paintings earlier.
From the 2,500 books put for sale, both organisations have sold 1,988 books so far and hope to complete all sales by end of this year.
"The books are priced at RM200 each. With Christmas around the corner, many buyers are telling us that the books make an nice Christmas gift," Fadillah said.
To buy the book, visit https://bit.ly/3ntytpS. Delivery within Peninsular Malaysia is free.
