By Siti Rohaizah Zainal
SHAH ALAM, March 23 — Menteri Besar Selangor (Incorporated) or MBI has allocated RM1.1 million for the Caring Initiative for Children of Frontliners (Inisiatif Cakna Anak Petugas Barisan Hadapan) programme.
Its chief executive officer Norita Mohd Sidek said the state government initiative for the past 10 months in helping Covid-19 frontliners has benefited 474 children from 359 families.
“Initially we targeted 400 children from 300 families but when the programme was implemented it proved to be an overwhelming success. In fact, the number of volunteers working at the kindergartens increased from 85 to 114 people.
“MBI is always caring in implementing this strategic initiative, in line with the company’s slogan of spurring life. This is to increase the quality of life for society on all levels in the state,” she said during the programme’s appreciation ceremony at the Menteri Besar’s official residence earlier today.
Also in attendance was Selangor Women’s Welfare and Charity Organisation (Pekawanis) president Datin Seri Masdiana Muhamad.
Norita added that MBI takes a five-point pronged approach in implementing the programme, especially in ensuring frontliners can focus on their duties without having to worry about their children.
“Secondly the initiative enables children to be cared for and looked after well. In fact, the volunteers on duty consist of individuals forced into unemployment due to Covid-19.
“They are given other skills in childcare including using the emergency aid kit and food handling. Lastly, operators running the kindergartens include those who had to shut down due to the pandemic,” she said.
On January 25 last year, the state government launched the initiative to create temporary care centre services for Covid-19 frontliners for free.
It involves the opening and operation of kindergartens and care centres in public hospitals, in addition to temporary premises which are expected to benefit nearly 400 frontliner families throughout the state.
