PETALING JAYA: On April 20, Kiwanis Malaysia is set to honour exceptional mothers who have selflessly dedicated themselves to enriching their children’s lives while also making significant contributions to society.
Kiwanis is a global organisation of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
Kiwanis Malaysia Academy chair Datuk Fatimah Saad said the event will be graced by His Royal Highness the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and his consort Her Royal Highness Tengku Permaisuri Selangor Tengku Norashikin Abdul Rahman.
Fatimah said Kiwanis is deeply moved by stories of mothers’ resilience in overcoming significant challenges facing their special needs children, and of the mothers themselves who face unique obstacles.
“Alongside our efforts to raise awareness about children with special needs, we felt compelled to honour these mothers as well for their efforts.
“Therefore, we decided that the best way to show our appreciation is to honour them by celebrating their exceptional efforts and achievements.”
Fatimah said the event will also serve as a platform to celebrate mothers for their dedication and unwavering commitment to nurturing and supporting their families.
She added that eight mothers will be acknowledged as unsung heroes who serve as pillars of strength in supporting their children, despite challenging circumstances.
“We have approached the selection process with empathy and a genuine understanding of the unique challenges these mothers face.”
Fatimah said the event also aims to raise RM1 million for Kiwanis Malaysia’s programme, as well as activities at Kiwanis Service Centres and the Kiwanis Malaysia Academy.
She said there is another powerful narrative at play in that there remains a substantial gap in addressing the needs of special children, which cannot be shouldered by the government alone.
“Many mothers attend talks at our service centres and seek guidance because they are uncertain about how to navigate issues related to education, treatment and therapies for their special needs children.
“There is a clear demand for more information and support in this regard.”
Fatimah said when she started the Kiwanis Club of Taman Tun Dr Ismail in 1996, there was limited awareness about “neurodivergent” children, who are those facing cognitive challenges such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Down syndrome, dyslexia and autism.
“Once, a mother visited the centre and expressed her frustration at understanding and managing her child’s disabilities.
“This encounter underscored the hurdles faced by families raising neurodivergent children and illustrates their diverse requirements.”
As an example, Fatimah said numerous disabled children continue to be unregistered, while those registered are in limited numbers.
“Unfortunately, discussing such issues is often considered taboo. But there is a great potential for improvement and increased awareness.
“By implementing effective assessment tools, we can enable doctors to identify challenges in the early stages. Many people are unaware or just ignorant of these issues because neurodivergent children often appear outwardly normal,” she said.
Fatimah added that the centre’s awareness-raising efforts help it address the challenges and empower the children to reach their full potential, provide high-quality education and platforms for parents to become better informed and engaged in supporting their children.
She said the fundamental idea driving Kiwanis’ efforts is its dedication to serving children through its activities.
