MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

Ananda Ma
Chairman Befrienders Muar

Befrienders Muar, established on March 3, 2013, is a NGO, non-religious international charity organizations. Through telephone hotline serviced by “active-listening” volunteers, we provide care and emotional support to those who seek help, to rebuild their self-confidence in managing their emotional problems; strengthen their belief in survival and ability to cope with crisis, and to regain their courage and confidence to return to their normal life.

Essentially we leverage on one’s kindness and values. In demonstrating our support and encouragement to those who are facing emotional problems, we establish a spirit of bilateral partnership with love, patience and empathy.  It is of utmost importance to always respect the privacy and self-esteem of those who seek help from us. We strongly believe that love and care would help to increase one’s confidence in recuperating from whatever challenges in life.

As we celebrate our first 5-year anniversary on this day, it is also a new and exciting journey for us.  The grand charity dinner celebration will also give us the opportunity to remind the public to always care about their loved ones and friends and at the same time, to share our five G.R.E.A.T. Strategic Plan and raise funds for its implementation in the next 5 years.

The act of good deeds will be continuous perpetually. The constant force beneath us is “love”, a borderless affection indeed! Let the energy and power of love and affection be with you in your involvement for charity and betterment of lives in this beautiful world.

You are a great motivation for us. The accumulation of your enormous energy will inspire us to move forward and perhaps change the course of history. As we embark on a new journey, we will be mindful of our mission firmly at all times. We will bring together charities and philanthropic resources and services to help people who are faced with challenging emotional problems. We will advocate a heartfelt affection and positive attitude to the society at large.

It is our passion and enthusiasm to fulfill our responsibilities in social well-being and to live up to your expectations! Your commitment and encouragement would empower us to strengthen our care and services to improve many lives in this beautiful and lovely universe! Thank you. Wishing you a happy and peaceful new year.

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT

Ms Esther Teo
President, Befrienders Malaysia

Congratulations! Befrienders Muar on celebrating her 5th Anniversary and Charity Dinner 3.3.18. A Befrienders Centre like Befrienders Muar to survive and sustain is not easily achieved and yet Befrienders Muar make it happens! Kudos to the leadership under the Charter President Ananda Ma and the whole cheerful, co-operative and committed team members.
Befrienders Muar is the youngest, youthful and growing centre among our eight servicing Befrienders centres in Malaysia. The newly set-up centre, Befrienders Kuching which would be the ninth centres in Malaysia will tentatively start its operation in April, 2018.
Befrienders provide free and confidential befriending services, ranging from telephone helplines, face-to-face to digital emails and WhatsApp messages. Befrienders centres open from a minimum 3-hour to a 24-hour befriending services daily and throughout the year! We are non-governmental, non-racial, non-sectarian and non-profitable organisations.
All Befrienders spend their time and effort voluntarily to lend listening ears to anyone in need. Befrienders listen with patience, care and concern, empathically, attentively, actively and non-judgmentally. Befrienders Malaysia work independently and closely with all centres under the big umbrella of Befrienders Worldwide. Callers who are suicidal, depressed, lonely or feel the need to talk to someone, please do feel free to reach out to Befrienders Malaysia.
Alone We Can Do So Little; Together We Can Do So Much! (Helen Keller)
Thank you very much to the Organising Committee, Befrienders Muar, Well-Wishers, Supporters and Participants from All Walks of Life in Our Community who directly or indirectly engaged in making this 5th Anniversary Celebrations and Charity Dinner a success! Making it possible for Befrienders Muar A Leap Forward To Serve our Community Towards An Emotional Well-Being Society!

Let’s go with the flow mindfully!

MESSAGE FROM THE HONORARY ADVISOR OF BEFRIENDERS MALAYSIA

Gangadara Vadivel Sinndurai PPN

Warm Greetings and Best Wishes from Befrienders Malaysia.

We feel honoured to convey our congratulations and best wishes to Befrienders Muar on the auspicious occasion of its 5th anniversary. This joyous event commemorates the significant progress and achievements by the organisation since its formation in 2013.

From its humble beginnings as an emotional support telephone helpline, Befrienders Muar has progressed steadily to become endeared to the community through its emotional support services, outreach projects, visits to schools, social events and networking activities. It has decided to offer face-to-face and email befriending services in its efforts to extend emotional support to the despairing. It has deservedly earned the respect and admiration of the community.

We truly appreciate the cooperation and support extended by Befrienders Muar through its active involvement in the activities of the National Council of Befrienders Malaysia and the member centres.

Volunteers are the centre’s greatest assets. We congratulate the leadership and the wonderful team of well-trained, active and dedicated volunteers for the success of the centre. In terms of leadership, we pay tribute to founder members, Mr Ananda Ma and Mr Koh Chai Siang who continue to lead the organisation so capably, in spite of the many challenges faced. They have made immense contribution to the organisation.

The great support from you, the friends and well-wishers from all sections of the community, is very much valued and appreciated. We look forward to your continued support as the centre forges ahead.

Befrienders Malaysia looks forward to working closely with Befrienders Muar in raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention.

We convey our best wishes to the Befrienders Muar Team for a very successful event.

‘LIFE IS PRECIOUS’

Gangadara Vadivel Sinndurai PPN
Hon Advisor
Befrienders Malaysia

MESSAGE FROM THE HONORARY ADVISOR OF BEFRIENDERS MUAR

Pehin Seri Dato’Seri Dr Lau Keen Lee
(DK1, DSIM, DIMS, JP)

I am glad to be invited to attend the anniversary dinner of Befrienders Muar.

First and foremost I congratulate the committee members of Befrienders Muar for successfully organise such a lovely and meaningful dinner, not only to provide an opportunity for its fellow members to have a grand gathering but it is also promoting the service of Befrienders Muar to the people in Muar.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are lucky to have such an organisation which is very much concerned about the mental wellbeing of the people in Muar. The mode of Befrienders Muar service is by “lending the ears” to listen to the grievances, despair, anger and sorrow of the individuals through phone calls. There are numerous studies and psychological assessments carried out among the depression patients which have proven that encouraging individuals who are suffering from mental depression to express their unhappiness through talking which in fact able to calm down the individuals and diverting them from suicidal or self-harm tendency.

I being the advisor of Befrienders Muar as well as one of the members in the Advisory Panel for Mental Health Promotion Board of the Health Ministry and the Chairman of the Board of Visitors Of the Psychiatry Ward Hospital Pakar Sultanah Fatimah Muar, would like to extend my greatest gratitude to Befrienders Muar for its selfless service in helping the people who are suffering from mental stress by listening to them, helping them to cope with the negative thoughts and guiding them to be more positive in their thinking process which may therefore improving in their confidence to overcome the challenges and difficulties in their life.

I wish Befrienders Muar all the success and may all of you be blessed with good health and happiness! Thank you.

Speech by Guest Of Honor, Mdm Doreen Bong

开幕贵宾,国际爱心慈善特使黄琬媇女士

我们了解,麻坡心灵扶助协会成立的目的,就是肩负为精神受困者提供情绪支援的使命,成为求助者另一个倾诉途径,歇力挽救那些频临绝望的生命。我很感动,现在的社会正需要像麻坡心灵扶助协会这样专注在心灵与情绪扶助的义工组织。

精神健康问题已成为当前重要的健康问题和社会问题,并对人口健康和社会经济发展带来了巨大的影响。 然而,很多精神障碍患者及家属缺乏精神健康知识,没有认识到抑郁症、躁郁症、精神分裂症、焦虑症等精神疾病的危害,或者害怕受到偏见的歧视,讳疾忌医。

随着精神疾病在全球的疾病负担比率中的11%提升至15%,世界卫生组织预测,忧郁症将在全球疾病排行榜中名列第二,即排在缺血性心脏病之后。

我们不应该停留在当一个悲剧发生之后,才来判断当事人可能患上了抑郁症、燥郁症等等,或者即使挽救了,也不再关心其真正发生的原因。因此,我们即使有再多的卫生设备,也不够应付这个越来越严重的社会问题。

政府应该一直不断的对广大社会做出适当的精神心理健康教育,从治本的工作来缓解现代人的精神压力,引导和启发人们早发现、早诊断、 早治疗、早康复。

在此我要呼吁政府必需积极投资在精神健康教育这项治本的工作,让人民受到良好的精神心理健康教育,在精神上有独立性和自主性,能够很好的把握环境和现实,积极面对人生和自我的状态。世界卫生组织提出了三个精神健康的标准,就是“三个良好”— 良好的个性人格、良好的处世能力和良好的人际关系。只有正确的人生观、价值观才能知道如何解开束缚、奔向光明。这就是精神心理健康教育的价值取向,也是所有从事精神健康教育的组织,包括心灵扶助协会 Befrienders,所应当承担的历史使命和责任所在。

健康不仅是没有疾病,而是包括躯体健康、心理健康、社会适应良好和道德健康。1989年联合国世界卫生组织对健康的定义是 — 健康的人,需有健康的心!

我也要呼吁社会大众能多关心你身边的朋友,献出你的爱心,学习做一个忠实的聆听者。假如在遇到情绪困扰时,在你面对压力缠绕而无从诉说的时候,就要能善于利用麻坡心灵扶助协会的电话聆听服务,向电话另一端的义工打开心房,倾诉心事。

最后,我再次感谢大会的邀请,也希望在座的每一个人一起来支持麻坡心灵扶助协会,一起来关注精神健康问题。祝福大家身心健康,平安喜乐。谢谢。

Volunteers Note

“Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.”
Sherry Anderson

 

“Befriending provides welcome support for some of the most vulnerable members of society and we greatly value the work undertaken by those who voluntarily give up their own time to help others. We see volunteering as an important means of extending people’s participation in their communities, and we respect the contribution that befriending makes to the lives of all those involved.”

Tony Blair