Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation, Melaka Centre

The idea of a facility to help children with Down Syndrome was first mooted in 1988 by a group of Kiwanians from the Kiwanis Club of Kuala Lumpur. In 1990 the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation (KDSF) was formed. Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation’s primary focus is providing critical early intervention programmes (EIP) for children with Down Syndrome from two months to six years old. One of the main objectives is to prepare the children so that they are ready for the Special Education in typical government schools.

Main activities
Its activities are geared toward the setting up and management of Centres of Education for Children with Down Syndrome up to 6 years old where emphasis is on:

• Maintaining and upgrading Special Education Programmes
• Training of teachers in Special Needs Education
• Counselling of families of children with Down Syndrome
• Maintaining a comprehensive Resource Centre with information on Down Syndrome and Special Educational aids
• Creating public awareness of Down Syndrome

The JB Centre was opened on September 1991. The JB Centre became the second centre of its kind under the KDSF. The centre first opened its doors with 9 children and 2 teachers. It operated from a rented premise at Jalan Abdul Samad. In 1996, in recognition of the sincerity and steadfast commitment of the club to its community projects, the State Social Welfare Department of Johor allocated a rent-free building to JB Club to undertake the Early Intervention Programme for children with Down Syndrome. The KDSF JB Centre has been operating at 2C Jln Yahya Awal since and has been growing steadily over the past years. The incremental enrolment of children over the years has signaled the need for the centre’s expansion. Hence finding a suitable site and building of its own has become the immediate focus of the management committee

Our needs

Volunteers:
Do you love children? Would you like to spend time with them? Have you considered contributing your time to helping in a Centre for special children?
The Centres at the Kiwanis Down Syndrome Foundation volunteering opportunities include:

• Working with children
• Working in the Resource and Toy Library (National Centre only)
• Helping in the Administrative Dept. (filing, photocopying etc)
• Down’s Update Bulletin (writing, editing, designing etc)
• Helping out in Fundraising activities eg in Annual funfair
• Organising events, seminars, talks