WHEN CLOSE TO 25-DISABLED AND ELDERLY MALAYSIANS make their way up and down a specially designed 400-metre pathway for wheelchairs in Kepong, Selangor, next Tuesday - it would be a wonderful experience of emotions for each and every one of them!
Surprisingly, the idea didn't come from us at Petpositive. The pets part was ours.
However, the jungle adventure aspect came from two incredible researchers from FRIM - the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia where Petpositive's first-ever animal-assisted therapy session takes place next week.
Meet ELANGO VELAUTHAM (Below, right) : FRIM's research officer for over two years.
Elango obtained his Bachelor of Science Degree in horticulture in UPM in 1995.In 2004, he graduated with a Masters of Science Degree at the Imperial College in London.
His expertise? Taxonomy (the science of classification of life forms) and biodiversity.
The 38-year-old's interest in the disabled came from his own experience of handicap.
His athletic activities as a runner during the late 1980s put him in a hospital, leaving him to be what he describes as "temporarily incapacitated."
Elango was left to pick up the pieces after a surgery when a metal plate was inserted into his body to strengthen his broken bones.
The ordeal caused him to spend long weeks and months first in a wheelchair and then on crutches.
It took a full five years after his leg operation before Elango stopped limping completely.
"Even though five years is a very long time, it is comparatively short when you consider that many people have been disabled all their lives either through an accident, disease or birth condition," Elango points out.
The nature expert says that his experience with handicap had been positive.
LEARNING THROUGH DISABILITY
"I have learnt much when I was disabled, especially the feelings of frustrations, helplessness and even low self-esteem," he points out.
"It's for this reason why I feel so strongly that nature with its diversity of plant and animal life can be extremely therapeutic and healing for the disabled and the elderly.
Elango who was instrumental in coming up with the wheelchair-friendly trail at FRIM says that he has always wanted to bring the beauty of nature to vulnerable groups like the disabled and the elderly.
"Now through Petpositive, my dream has come true where I hope that I can be a positive influence to a disabled or elderly person who might be hurting or suffering from a lack of self confidence or dignity," he says.
"I want to see disabled and elderly people have a time of their lives. . . " Elango.
The nature expert who had been working for seven years on reforestation before he joined FRIM concluded his interview with this blogger with the following:
"My greatest wish is first and foremost to see the disabled and the elderly having the time of their lives with nature and the great outdoors.
"I hope that this will lead them to start thinking about doing something with nature that could enrich their lives lives.
"Instead of staying indoors, the jungle walk will get them motivated about doing interesting thngslike growing a plant, taking up bird watching, etc because nature has so much to give all os us - including the disabled and the elderly."
Elango is the person-in-charge to conduct the nature walk in FRIM.
For more information on the Petpositive, please contact us.
Please note that the Tuesday outing is only for registered participants. Registration for the current AAT programme is now closed. The next one will be held early next year.
Thank you
Petpostive
TOMORROW: Meet zoologist Norsham Yaakob, the woman who not only thinks that frogs, lizards and even snakes are cool but will also be introducing some of these creatures we love to loathe to the participants on Tuesday.
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