BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Ministry of Development has raised over $10,000 in donations for landslide and flood victims.

“The positive amount was reached even when not all of the cards have been returned yet,” she added.

During a charity walkathon yesterday, 49 landslide and flood victims who work at the ministry received the donations.

Another portion of the collected funds were also given to non-profit organisations, including the Down Syndrome Association, Brunei Darussalam National Association of the Blind and National Association of the Deaf which received $1,000 each.

According to Chairman of National Association of the Deaf Interim Committee Pg Hj Norahalim Pg Hj Abd Rahman, the donations help to pay expenses on their projects in 2014.

“The donation will also help fund sign language workshops for those (members of the public) interested,” he added.

Echoing his sentiments was Mohd Jamary Danggat, president of the Brunei Darussalam National Association of the Blind, which has 74 members.

“We usually get our Braille equipment in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur which can go up to $2,000 and without shipping expenses to deliver it to Brunei,” he said.

“For example, a Braille embosser can go up to $1,500 and it can be used for writing books,” he added.

In a phone interview with The Brunei Times, the president said that these equipment are not available at affordable prices. “It is safe to say these donations plays an important role for the (growth of) our association,” he said.

More than 350 officers and staff kicked off the Charity Walkathon 2014 at the Ministry of Development yesterday.

Present to lead the walk was Minister of Development Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Suyoi Hj Osman.

A statement from the ministry said that the walkathon aimed to encourage the collection of donations to the Ministry of Development’s Charity Fund.

“The funds generated from this collection may further add on to the ministry’s charity fund,” said the statement.

The Brunei Times