Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email By STUART MICHAEL
Photo by CHUA KOK HWA
REIGNING Miss MalaysiaIndian Global 2006 Mourhrna Aneta Reddy organised a “Living Skills” programme for residents of Cheshire Home in Selayang recently – and it was a learning experience for both.
The 16 residents of the home who attended the programme at the Royal Selangor Visitors Centre learnt how to fashion a bowl from a sheet of pewter, while Mourhrna learnt a lesson in humility.
The Cheshire Home residents, most of whom were disabled, were given first-hand experience by Royal Selangor's K.C. Chan on how to shape a sheet of pewter into a bowl using a hammer – a technique that can be used to make other items.
Wheelchair-bound Leong Swee Lin, 39, said after learning the skill, that she wanted to make pewter decorations for her house.
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Easy does it: Mourhrna helping to hold a block for one of the Living Skills’ participants as he knocks away in the process of making his own pewter bowl.
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“Malaysia is noted for its pewter. And this gives me a chance to learn something new to teach to others in the Cheshire Home.
“I also felt proud to have made my own bowl and it had my name engraved on it. I will cherish it for ever,” said Leong.
Mourhrna, 23, said it was an eye-opening experience, and it was tough organising even a simple event like that on her own.
“I took two weeks to organise this event and found that asking for money – even as little as RM100 – was so difficult,” said Mourhrna, who needed about RM5,000.
“Most of the time, there were sweet words but empty promises. But, I persisted and kept on calling and finally got a sponsor.
“I had to think of everything from the food and the speeches to the residents' needs and mobility, and even provide the souvenirs.
“From all this, I learnt to persevere – and that Malaysians are not so generous after all. In fact, all the bad publicity about charity organisations has taken a big toll on genuine organisations like ours,” she said.
Mourhrna, who wants to be a lawyer, said the best way to do charity work was by doing it on her own.
“When I become a lawyer, I will play a more active role in helping charities,” she added.
The residents were treated to lunch and given souvenirs before they returned home.
Film director Datuk L. Krishnan also presented mementos to the residents..
The event was supported by Krishnan, Royal Selangor and the Miss Malaysia India Care Association.
i hope she will become a lawyer…most of the time when they won the tilte they will say im going to serve the community, im going to africa to create aids awareness, i will help create awareness about poverty in poor countries and etc etc but in the end most of them will end up as film stars or models.
MP: Well, sometimes it is part of the promotional tours or contractual agreement as long as they are the reigning queen. Whatever it is, we hope her good thoughts and actions will continue to benefit the people long after she becomes an ex-miss.