As part of its 2009 awareness programs, Persatuan C.H.I.L.D. Sabah organised an “East Coast Autism Awareness Drive” to Ranau and Sandakan, Sabah from 14th to 17th March 2009. More than forty parents and siblings of children with autism from Kota Kinabalu took part in this journey of awareness into autism.
The objective of this drive is to promote awareness into autism – which is still very much lacking in many parts of Sabah.
In Ranau, Jabatan Perkhidmatan Kebajikan Am Sabah supported the move by sending their community-based rehabilitation (PDK) workers and parents to attend the talk that was held at the Ranau Rest House.
In Sandakan, the awareness talk was held at Sabah Hotel and was co-organised with the Early Intervention Centre (Sabah Cheshire Home, Sandakan).
The drive was supported by the “Voicing Out” Family Support Group, Kota Kinabalu, YB Au Kam Wah, The Early Intervention Centre (Sabah Cheshire Home, Sandakan), Sabah Hotel as well as The National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) that had kindly sent posters and flyers from their Head Office in Kuala Lumpur.