A new affiliate in East Malaysia

ABOUT US In September 2019, a few participants from Sabah attended the third National Diaspora Symposium in Kuala Lumpur. After hearing different speakers share the needs and challenges of reaching out to various migrant nationalities through compassion services and social work, we realized that we could do something similar to reach out to the immigrant communities in Sabah. Most of them came from Indonesia and the Philippines and their number is estimated to be about 1.5 million. Propelled by this realization, ElShaddai Sabah was formed in affiliation to ECB in April 2020 with its headquarters in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. ElShaddai Sabah is endorsed by the Malaysian Diaspora Network. OUR WORK Education will be the main emphasis of ElShaddai Sabah as it is the RIGHT of every child to have education, and we believe in the power of education to uplift the individual, community and nation. We will also support these displaced and marginalized communities by providing healthcare, emergency relief, skills training and development in the future. By doing so, we hope a generation of these displaced people can be raised to bless their own communities and to contribute positively to the economy and society of Sabah. 关于我们 在2019年9月的第三届大马全国散居研讨会中，有几位来自沙巴的参与者，因大会多位讲员的启發，看见了服侍在大马不同国籍和背景的难民及散居群体的迫切需要并当中的各种挑战。他们届时顿悟，在沙巴当地亦有着一群来自印尼和菲律宾的外籍散居群体，预计至少一百五十万的人口等待他们去接触、服侍。 积极回应这个启發和感动，爱全能中心 – 沙巴于2020年4月正式成立，总会设于沙巴亚庇市，并隶属于爱全能中心 – 母会之下。爱全能中心 – 沙巴也为大马全国散聚网络所认可。 爱全能中心 – 沙巴的服务范围 教育工作是我们最主要的服务之一，因为我们深信每位孩子都应当拥有接受教育的基本权利，而且教育能提升、转化个体和社区，甚至改变整个国家。除此之外，我们也希望能透过基本医疗、紧急救援、技术培训和發展等不同管道，逐步提供社区相关的支持与协助。 我们的期盼为，全新的下一代能在沙巴当地的外籍散居群体中被兴起，并带着不同的使命祝福、回馈他们自己的社群，更能为沙巴的社会和经济带来贡献。    

ElShaddai Sabah responds to the community needs at anytime

As the Covid-19 pandemic spread around the world, lives of many families are affected. Families of immigrants in Sabah are also affected. Jobs became very scarce during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period in Malaysia. Immigrants need food and medical attention. ElShaddai Sabah saw this urgent need and with the support of generous donors, we stepped in to distribute relief and medicine to about 1000 immigrant families in the Kota Kinabalu area, specifically in the area of KPD, Likas Square, PPR Gayang Ria, Bantayan, the Kayu Madang rubbish dump site, Kampung Suang Parai, Kampung Saga, Kampung Pasir and Kampung Lok Urai. Seeing the gratitude in the eyes of the immigrants, young and old, strengthened the resolve of ElShaddai Sabah to continue helping the needy amongst them even until today. ElShaddai Sabah also found that many immigrant children in these communities do not have the opportunity to go to school. They just live their daily lives helping out in household chores, playing or even doing odd jobs to earn a living for their families. On 25 July 2020, a learning centre was established by ElShaddai Sabah in KPD area with 5 classes for Suluk and Bajau children of 7 years old and above. Teachers are employed from their communities. ElShaddai Sabah also provides teaching materials and training for the teachers. Initially classes were held in the houses of the communities but we are now in the process of building three simple outdoor classes to replace three houses that are becoming too crowded with students. When we were visiting a riverside Bajau immigrant community, once again we saw the need of children there for education. On 9 September 2020, another learning centre was established in Kampung Aman with one class, for a start. This learning centre is unique as it was set up at the ground floor of a family house on a tiny island along a flowing river. All students, teachers and visitors going to this centre will take the usual mode of transportation which is by boat. These two learning centres in KPD and Kampung Aman were made possible by donors who saw the need of education for these lovely children. – Contributed by Larry Wong