Rehabilitation the OKU way: learning to live

Gabriel Teo, Assistant Principal of Pusat Pemulihan Samarahan, spoke with the-- deep-seated passion and determination of a man who believes in what he is doing - rehabilitating the OKUs (Orang Kurang Upaya). He was briefing some 23 Pre-Commerce students during the first leg of their educational visit to the center. For practically all the the students, led by Puan Ng Kui Choo, this was their first encounter with the world of the under-privileged. "Try not to use the word "cacat" or handicapped," cautions Teo as he delves into the types of disabled people currently undergoing training at the center. He explains that the trainees follow courses like carpentry, hairdressing, dress-making, prosthetics-making and so on for two years. The students were taken on a tour of the center where they had the chance to watch the trainees at work. The large majority of them felt a lot of admiration for the trainees.