KIGS LENDS HELPING HAND TO NEEDY FAMILY (BB)

by Syafiq Affendy

A mother and her son received a heartwarming gesture from the International Graduate Studies College (IGS) as the students lifted their spirits to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri which is just around the corner.
Students and lecturers participated in the event to lend a helping hand in making their house cleaner and more comfortable to live in.

Fifty-seven-year-old retiree, Hajah Dauyah and her son Mohd Noor, 27, have been unable to celebrate Hari Raya for 10 years due to the dilapidated state of their house after facing financial difficulties.

According to Hajah Dauyah, she previously worked at the Agriculture Department. Her husband passed away when Mohd Noor was only 11years old.

"Now I depend on the B$200 financial aid from the Community Development Department and my son is employed at a coral products-processing company," said Hajah Dauyah.

Mohd Noor explained that he is currently working on an on-call basis and he receives a B$300 paycheck. As an alternative when not working, they depend on growing their own vegetables and catching fish just to make ends meet.

"We are thankful for the help rendered by the young people at IGS and their lecturers who have done an amazing job cleaning our whole house including the surroundings to lessen the burden we have been facing for so long," said Mohd Noor.

One of the leading members of IGS, Wan Haji Mohd Faisal Haji Zaini, said that around 150 students volunteered for the charitable work and were divided into four groups. They have been working hard from August 21 till yesterday to clean up the premises.

"We have narrowed down the list of six needy families provided by the Community Development Department. Six of us from IGS went out and interviewed the six families to find out which one of them needed help the most. Hajah Dauyah's residence was infested with insects and had a stench when we first came in to help but praise be to Allah, everything has gone as planned and it is now a better home to live in," he said.

Those interested in helping or giving donations to Hajah Dauyah may do so by approaching them directly at No 22, Simpang 544, Kampong Jerudong, right next to Holiday Lodge Hotel in Jerudong.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

IGS STUDENTS SPEND A DAY AT SMARTER (BT)

A TOTAL of 31 students from IGS Kolej went on an educational visit to Smarter Brunei on Thursday.

After a tour of the centre, the students divided themselves into six groups of five people whom were picked at random.

The groups were tasked with becoming teachers for the day and spend the afternoon engaged in fun activities with the students at Smarter. The activities which were mostly carried out in the Sensory Room include colouring, identifying the letters of the alphabet and matching pictures to the names.

According to the group leader, Halimatus Saadyah Hj Julaihi, the visit was part of their Social Responsibility assignment where students were required to do community and charity work.

There was also some singing activity as well as a group photo session at the end of the day.

The Brunei Times

IGS COLLEGE HOLD AUTISM TALK (BT)

by Ubaidillah Masli and Koo Jin Shen

More than 60 students of International Graduate Studies (IGS) College in Kiulap yesterday were given greater insight on autism after the college's second year Business and Finance students invited the president of Smarter Brunei to speak on the disorder.

Speaking to The Brunei Times, IGS Lecturer of Business and Finance Gwendoline William said that yesterday's talk by Malai Hj Abdullah Hj Malai Othman was part of the college's personal development programme, which had a different theme every month.

"This particular month, because it is the fasting month, we (assigned) the theme of spirituality and charity," said William, who added that it hoped to teach her students on the marketing aspect of corporate social responsibility.

"Once the students know about these things, (then) there is an awareness. We have to be more concerned and we have to be more aware. They are different from us, all the autistic kids," she added.

"Maybe all of us will become parents one day. What would you do if one of your kids had autism? Or a relative or your friend?" the lecturer asked, pointing out that the lecture would help the students in the future.

One of five students currently taking the National Diploma Course in Business and Finance and who arranged the lecture, Dk Siti Nasrulfaizah Pg Nora Lim, felt that autism was not well known among her peers.

She and her classmates had asked other students whether they knew about autism and most responded that they did not, Dk Siti Nasrulfaizah went on to explain.

Therefore, the group of Business and Finance students decided to arrange for Malai Hj Abdullah to talk at IGS once more, after already having delivered a previous lecture at the college on time management.

Dk Siti Nasrulfaizah said that she had previous knowledge on autism, but after the talk, she felt that she had learned much more on the disorder. She also hoped the talk would make students aware of their social responsibility.

Another student, Halimatus Saadyah Hj Julaihi shared that they had previously visited Smarter Brunei and the society's centre for adults with autism, Baca.

"They (autistic individuals) are normal, but there is just something a bit more special about them," Halimatus said.

"They can do everything that we can do, just in a different way," said Dk Siti Nasrulfaizah.

A member of the audience told The Brunei Times that the lecture had helped him realise that autism was not actually a disability, as he initially perceived it to be.

"Austistic children, as far as I know, need to be treated special. They can't catch up in many things, so they need to be taught step by step," said Hj Md Saifuddin.

The college hoped to hold the talk again next year.

"We will continue this programme to work with (Smarter Brunei). We are looking into (organising an autism) workshop for a start. We can also help with fundraising for the centre," said William.

Today, the IGS college students will be building on their new-found knowledge on autism by paying a visit to Smarter Brunei Centre in Sengkurong.

The Brunei Times