The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has played a pivotal role in getting workers with disabilities employed, sometimes in the same job. From January 2007 to July 31 this year, 25, 891 workers with disabilities went through Socso’s Return to Work (RTW) programme and reported for duty.

The Rotary Club Of Bukit Bintang conducted a service project by contributing funds to the Bodhi Homecare Centre Cheras in conjunction with its 29th Presidential and Board Installation. The club, the biggest in its district, also donated essentials and food items to the 30-year-old centre for the homeless, less fortunate children and the disabled.

It was good news for a deaf teacher, who has been granted leave by the Education Ministry to do his doctorate in the United States. Lee Tur Chung (pic) of SM Pendidikan Khas Vokasional obtained a one-year scholarship under the Fulbright Foreign Student Programme to pursue a PhD in deaf education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The Asean University Network–Disability & Public Policy Network (AUN-DPPnet) is offering scholarships for Malaysians with disabilities to pursue a Master’s degree locally or in any universities within the Asean region.

Makeup artist Noney Gondolos, 50, inspires others with her grit and hard work. Despite being born with muscle dystrophy and brittle bones, the single mother-of-two from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, does not have a pessimistic view of life.

The inaugural Art Includes Festival 2019 in Kuala Lumpur is on a mission to showcase disability arts and culture. The festival, which runs at the Ruang by Think City venue on Sept 23-29, underlines the need for diversity when it comes to the social, cultural and professional development of people with disabilities.

From 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday, Shabuddin’s light blue Proton Preve serves as a “charity taxi”.

A chance meeting at a para sports event in 2015 between two paraplegics from Johor Baru proved that maybe, nothing really happens by chance.

Usana Malaysia is reaching out to underprivileged communities in Johor through its latest corporate social responsibility programme, Rise Against Hunger Malaysia (RAHM), involving several hundreds of its distributors all over Malaysia. Usana regional general manager of Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan Vivienne Lee said the community service that the company had undertaken reflected the core philosophy practiced by the company.

A physical disability should not stop one from excelling as an entrepreneur. With the right advice and encouragement, such entrepreneurs can be motivated to achieve their goals. Maybank Foundation’s Rise (Reach Independence and Sustainable Entrepreneurship) programme, which started in September 2014, is an economic empowerment programme that supports disadvantaged communities, particularly Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).