Kuala Lumpur, 28 November 2003 - UCSI (University College Sedaya International) and the Business Learning Association (BLA) recently conducted a Business Round Table at Beautiful Gate Disabled People Caring Centre in SS2 Petaling Jaya.

According to UCSI’s Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Chin Peng Kit, this is in line with the University’s desire to meet its social responsibilities by contributing to the society as a corporate citizen.
“Through our joint partnership with BLA, we have managed to help our disabled friends learn some useful entrepreneurial skills which will come in handy when they become business people,” he said.
Chin said he hopes more colleges and universities will come forward to help the other underprivileged groups. “If each of us do something, we will be able to make this world a better world,” he said.

According to Sia Siew Chin, the Director of Beautiful Gate, the trainees who came to the centre are currently either engaged in some form of skills training, or are already in petty hawking or some form of small trading, while others are still jobless.

“To look for a job is not easy for the disabled person,” Sia said. “We hope that after undergoing the independent living skills training, the disabled person will be able to run their own businesses.”

Beautiful Gate, she said, is preparing the trainees to become useful members of the society. “We hope more institutions of higher learning will come forward to help us like the way UCSI has worked with us on a number of good projects,” she added.

BLA was represented by its President, Ho Aoi Ling and its members, with William Learn of the Kuala Lumpur Junior Chamber as guest speaker.
Ho said, the meeting was a fruitful event as BLA’s members shared with the inmates ideas to broaden their views for entrepreneurship.

“There were plenty of 'ahas' as ideas enthusiastically flowed as a result of the discussion held in a friendly and open environment,” she said. “It was realised that the community could assist the disabled people to enhance their knowledge in the areas of Business cash flow, Business and personal goal setting, Marketing and Personal development.”

BLA, she said, will continue to work with UCSI to develop short business training modules for Beautiful Gate.