Community Story:
Taman Desaria
Over 100 children in Taman Desaria are crying for more...
Since 2023, Suriana Welfare Society Malaysia has undertaken the uphill initiative to reach the children residing within the flats of Desaria, PJS 5. Our aim is to provide a safe learning & nurturing environment for these young ones who are heavily prone to abuse manifested through generations of a mindset that leaves them in a life of neglect. This initiative is a result of embracing Play and Learn (PAL) Center, as a ship for sail to eradicate a barrier by shifting pathways out of poverty. The route towards progressive peer engaging in humanitarian educational experiences is what we aim for these children. In a 4,000-resident compound, there is an estimate of 800 children and possibly more who bear potential but are trapped behind a barrier that needs to be demolished by manpower of effective and passionate hands.
This community has a unique set of challenges that these children need not bear. From increasingly poor sanitation, unhygienic behaviours and a “home” to stray dogs who roam the roads between the flats. On top of this repetitive neglect, many of the children struggle with literacy that victimizes them in school and beyond. Desaria families prioritize survival over schooling thus pushing us (Suriana) deeper into immersing ourselves within the community by offering emotional support, vocational training and access to bare essential services such as physical & mental health screenings that have proven to be effective in transforming the community; one child at a time.
Guardian Health & Beauty, Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital, Asia Pacific University, HELP University, UOA Academy and MySkills Foundation have been in collaboration with Suriana to extend helping hands in transforming the lives of PPR Taman Desaria since 2023 by providing progressive and fulfilling experiences for adults as much as children.
“Taman Desaria —
a cesspool of squalor, neglect, fear”
A daunting depiction of Desaria, published as the headline in an FMT article that further exposes the reality of a community only a few hundred meters away from Sunway’s Villa residence. “They may just be next-door neighbours but the residents of Sunway City and those in Taman Desaria might as well be a world apart. Apart from having to put up with uncollected rubbish and blocked sewage pipes that have caused a backflow into their kitchens and living spaces, the 4,000 residents—mostly lorry drivers, factory workers and labourers—also share their quarters with snakes and rats.”
We strongly encourage our readers to read this article in full to witness the reality that 800 of these children are raised in.
Suriana's hands are more than two
Post-article, the children who have been engaged in Suriana’s Education Center are the first to make a difference. On the 30th of May, close to 40 children willingly chose to spend their early morning breaking sweat in a gotong-royong to renew their community field followed by a 3-Day ‘Quintuplethon’ of games, activities and fun in an environment that they transformed. You just had to be there to witness the smiles and laughter that poured out into the community, as we noticed spectators from units above.
"Working with the children of Desaria through Suriana has been one of the most rewarding experiences. Many of these children struggle with literacy, unable to read or write fluently, which affects their confidence and future opportunities. Their frustration is heartbreaking, but with patience, encouragement, and guidance, each new word they read and each sentence they form is a testament to their resilience."
Sivasanggari, S.E.C. Education Manager
A difference today, calls for a better tomorrow
Suriana continues to expand our reach in a complete sweep of garbage and infestations that linger around the grounds of Taman Desaria. After a phone call with Farhan Shah bin Ridzuan, Ahli Majlis of ZON 24 (PJS 5, PJS 6, sebahagian kecil PJS 7, PJS 8, & PJS 10), the cries of the children have pierced the hearts of Farhan and his team, making their move in the community by coming together to coordinate efforts in collective action towards the welfare of Desaria.
“Susulan dari Mesyuarat Aduan minggu lalu, saya hadir ke Taman Desa Ria PJS 5 untuk lawatan tapak dan menyelaras tindakan-tindakan yang akan diambil terhadap isu berbangkit seperti binaan tanpa kebenaran, lot-lot terbiar, pembuangan sampah haram serta isu kebersihan & keselamatan.
#Zon24 #SeriSetia #MadaniBekerja”
Image: Farhan Shah Ridzuan, Facebook
In conjunction with such efforts, Suriana Welfare Society Malaysia will be meeting with YB Tuan Lee Chean Chung, Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya (P105) to discuss further possible initiatives and collaborative endeavours to touch the lives of children not only in Taman Desaria but in many other communities like them.
"Leave no one behind"
Ravindran Raman Kutty writes it to point, “As Malaysia marks succeeding milestones and looks forward to a great future, let us not forget those who are still in the shadows of our collective prosperity.
It is not right to leave our fellow citizens, like those in Taman Desaria, to not just live with no help but worse than that, the scourge of the drug problem.
Will those who are responsible rise to the challenge? Or will another generation be condemned to live and die in silence, just steps away from the glittering promise of a better life?”
Read the full write-up here.
Challenges that defeat us only means that two hands are not enough.
Through the pathways built over 15 years, individuals in the working-class are given the opportunity to make a difference today, for the generations to come tomorrow. Suriana continues to pursue doing more with growing continuous support.
Every ringgit counts, every life touched is a testament of humanitarian victories.
Get in touch with us or donate now to make your impact.