The children with their caretakers and the hotel staff after breaking fast.
KOTA KINABALU: Smiles were plastered on the faces of some 40 over orphans and single mothers when they were treated to a sumptuous buffet dinner on their first day of fasting at a hotel in the city here.
These children aged between four and 14, along with their caretakers from the Rumah Anak Kesayangan Sabah were invited for their first day of breaking of fast on Thursday (March 23).
"I have never been to a hotel before, and it is nice here because I like the food and ice cream," said a four-year-old boy when met at the Le Meridien Kota Kinabalu.
A six-year-old girl who was also enjoying her ice cream after her meal, said that it was the most delicious meal she had ever had.
Supported by Nur Muhammad Welfare and Education Organisation Sabah, this centre managed two homes each located in Taman Sempelang in Sembulan and Taman Chin Sang in Likas that shelters more than 100 children between the ages of four and 14.
It is learnt that 30% of the children sheltered in both homes are orphans while the others were from underprivileged families. The homes were also a shelter for single mothers.
Running at a bare minimum and with the rising cost of living, the shelter is in constant need for financial support to run their day-to-day operations, basic necessities of food and beverage, personal hygiene needs, health supplements and groceries which will be rationed on a daily basis.
During the buffet dinner, hotel general manager Suresh Ramasamy said this activity was in conjunction with the Marriott International initiative of 'Serve 360' to do good in every direction.
"We are dedicated to contribute to the company-wide’s overall goal of 15 million hours of volunteer service to support the priorities and community engagement strategy", he said.
Anyone wishing to contribute to Rumah Anak Kesayangan can email pkpnmsabah@gmail.com for further inquiries.
