Exactly a year since its inception, the Darul Ridzuan Empowerment Foundation (YBU) has proven itself as the agency that the needy can rely on.
Today, on the first day of his two-day working visit to Sungai Siput, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir officiated two more houses being built by the foundation for the unfortunate people of Kampung Temin.
For Saedah Mohamed Lakin, 67, she could rest easier when her new house is completed in about two weeks. Her previous home was rickety and dilapidated.
“The roof of my former home leaked badly during rain and I could feelit sway during strong winds. I was very scared whenever this happened. “Fortunately, I have my fifth daughter living next door so I could spend a night or two in safety,” Saedah told Peraknews,com.
However, she still prefers to have a place of her own like she did since the death of her husband Mohd Moin Alang Mat Yet about two years ago.
The new two-bedroom home, she added, will also be the place where her seven children, 17 grandchildren, and six great grandchildren can gather for Aidil Fitri or other festivities.
“I am grateful to YBU for building this house as I never thought no one would care for the needs of a 67-year old woman like me,” Saedahsaid, and further added that meeting Dr. Zambry in person is a chance in a lifetime which she never expected.
Another beneficiary of YBU effort was amputee Satmi Mohd Nor, 46, of Kampung Sungai Durian, Kampung Temin.
The former rubber tapper had his right leg amputated due to diabetes and he now depend solely on his wife’s business as a tailor in the village.
“Our former house was built by my late father and it was rotting really badly. It was not very safe for a family of six like us,” said the father of four children ranging between 13 and 18 years old.
He was surprised when told his family will be given a new house to live in as he never applied for any assistance previously.
He is grateful to YBU for building a better house for his family as doing it on his own was beyond his wildest dreams and means.
When the three bedroom house is completed in about two weeks, they could sleep easier at night because it would be a safer home to live in.
The houses built for Saedah and Satmi are pre-fabricated type with steel frames and cement board used for construction.
Cheaper, greener, simpler and quicker to construct, the two-bedroom and three-bedroom cost about RM30,000 and RM35,000 respectively.
