Support includes provision of financial literacy modules, braille equipment and meals at vaccination centre
Kuala Lumpur, 15 June 2021: Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM) has today sponsored food baskets to families of the blind, as well as meals to frontliners and volunteers managing the vaccination centre for the blind. This is part of PIDM’s greater collaboration with the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) to support the well-being of the visually impaired community.
The contribution, raised via PIDM’s employee-driven campaign, will reach more than 170 families in Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, as well as provide packed meals for 2,000 vaccine recipients and 50 medical personnel and volunteers at Pusat Pemberian Vaksin Kompleks MAB in Brickfields, the vaccination centre for the blind, from 4 June to 14 July 2021.
"At PIDM, we continue our quest in paying it forward by supporting the MAB and the blind community. In these challenging times, we would like to give with a sense of purpose and to fulfil the needs of the underserved communities such as the blind community,” said Rafiz Azuan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of PIDM.
According to George Thomas, Chief Executive Officer of MAB, more than 3,500 blind people had their income affected by the movement control order (MCO) as certain sectors were restricted from operating. There are currently over 50,000 blind people registered with the Social Welfare Department.
“Many of the blind survive on daily wages received from working at massage and reflexology centres, busking and selling their wares door-to-door or in public places. Whenever MCOs are announced, all these activities are paused. We are grateful that PIDM has come forth to assist in these trying times,” Thomas added.
“Going forward, we hope to do more for the blind community by empowering them with the necessary knowledge to improve their financial health and resilience. PIDM’s good relationship with MAB is important to ensure that we reach as many blind and partially sighted people as possible,” Rafiz said.
PIDM and MAB kicked off their collaboration in 2020, with
PIDM contributing 1,000 stay-safe kits to MAB to distribute to the blind. The kits consisted of face masks and hand sanitisers to help recipients stay safe and protect themselves against coronavirus infection.
In ensuring the sustainability of its support, PIDM is currently working towards rolling out seven modules on basic personal finance to improve the community’s resilience over the long term. The modules will be made available as part of the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia training at MAB in braille and audio book formats.
PIDM also sponsored 10 units of the Perkins Brailler mechanical braille writer for blind students pursuing literacy and communications classes. A braille writer is a typing device used by the blind to write braille.
Issued by:
Communications and Public Affairs Division,
Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia.