Sunday 7 November 2010

Smarter continues seeking solutions to keep centre going

SMARTER, or the Society for the Management of Autism Related Issues in Training, Education and Resources, is actively seeking for a more permanent solution to keep Smarter centre operational, the president and founder of the society said yesterday.

In an interview with Brunei Times, Malai Hj Abdullah Hj Malai Othman said currently Smarter keeps itself afloat on donations, which is just enough to sustain them for the next couple of months.

Malai Hj Abdullah, who is also the concerned parent of a boy with autism, noted that the organisation had gone for nine years living on donations and the occasional fund-raising events.

Although a committee had been set up by the Community Development Department (Japem) to look into the needs of non-government entities throughout the country, Smarter continued to look for alternative, long term solutions to their problems.

Their objective is to set up their own small businesses in order to generate additional funds.

Smarter is seeking to get a larger building to accommodate a growing number of students and to house small businesses.

However, Malai Hj Abdullah stated that they were unable to do so unless they receive a substantial amount of help.

"Without funds, we cannot purchase or rent the building, without the building we cannot generate the funds," said the Smarter president, lamenting the situation.

He is looking for any organisation who can give them a hand by temporarily providing premises in order to get them on their feet.

Smarter was scheduled to move to a larger building along Jalan Jerudong last year, unfortunately, the landowner could no longer wait for the approval of the $1.9 million bank loan, and had sold the building to other clients.

Malai Hj Abdullah said that as of yet, they have not found another suitable location.

Smarter present building for early intervention, located behind the Sengkurong Health Centre,is at full capacity with 53 children.

According to Annisa Hj Moksin, Smarter vice-secretary, they have a long list of children waiting to be accepted. "There are many parents who ask for a place for their children," she said.

"Unfortunately we had to turn them away just because we do not have the funds or the space to take them."

She said that once a child has been diagnosed with autism by the Child Development Centre, Ministry of Health, they are often recommended to Smarter.

"We only take people who are officially diagnosed with autism," she said.

Smarter is recognised by multiple organisations to be on par with other institutions throughout the world.

A visiting associate professor of special education from University of Makati, Philippines, Joel A Medina stated that having a centre devoted to autism such as Smarter is "very effective" for helping those affected transition into normal life.

"If you begin here, it is easier for children to move into a more inclusive environment, such as regular schools," he said, noting that it was more difficult to treat autism if they are placed among other different, varying disabilities.

Smarter operates three facilitie namely the early intervention centre, autism centre for adults (Baca) and another centre in Kuala Belait, with a total running overhead of approximately $21,000 a month.

The students' fees cover almost half of that, with the rest coming from donations, and events such as the upcoming charity Bazaar on November 28.

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