Daryll (left) and Edwin (centre) incorporate music therapy to teach students with special needs. Photo: Filepic
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands – one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” Hollywood actress Audrey Hepburn
Special needs education teacher Daryll Nathaniel has been extremely busy during the lockdown. He’s been poring over research material on music therapy for children with disabilities. He’s also jotting down notes for the chapters of a music therapy book that he’s co-authoring with his father, Edwin Nathaniel, 62.
Edwin is a musician and co-founder of the award-winning music band Aseana Percussion Unit (Apu). Among his circle of friends, Edwin is known for his dedication to teaching music to special needs kids.
258 Cat Inspirations features many beautiful cats, such as Chewie, that IPAN has rescued over the years.
After six years of rehoming and rehabilitating stray animals, Petaling Jaya-based non-profit group Independent Pet Adoption Network (IPAN) has released a 258-page inspirational desktop book featuring many pictures of its rescued cats.
IPAN co-founder Sherrina Krishnan-Leyow said proceeds from the sales of the books would be channelled towards its future rescue missions, which she hopes to restart after the movement control order (MCO).
To date, IPAN has re-homed about 3,200 dogs and 2,020 cats. IPAN s rescue work incurs large bills for veterinary care, food and medicine. We have always participated in bazaars and flea markets to raise funds for our cause and to raise awareness of the importance of adopting stray animals. But things changed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lee aims to raise awareness of the deaf community and the challenges they face in the hope of creating a more inclusive environment. Photos: Serena Lee
In good and bad times, our ties with family and community bind and strengthen us. This column celebrates how Malaysians care for one another and make this country better for all. Please share your inspiring Malaysian stories with us. Email us at lifestyle@thestar.com.my
Serena Lee, 18, was in high spirits during our Zoom interview, and she had every reason to be.
The Sign For Malaysia (SFM) deaf advocacy project founder received the title of Unicef (United Nations Children’s Fund) Malaysia KitaConnect Champion last October.
Ho in a sketch called Can I Take Your Order? which takes a lighthearted look at funny customer behaviour. Photo: YouTube/The Ming Thing
To Malaysian, Ho Ming Han, 31, being a YouTuber involves “realistically, a lot of stress, anxiety and pressure”. The most important quality that a YouTuber must have in order to be successful, he reckons, is “100% flexibility”.
It’s also “a whole lot of writing (video scripts), and learning production skills such as video editing”, says the Petaling Jaya-based 31-year-old.
Chances are, if you’re an avid watcher of YouTube videos, you might recognise Ho as one half of The Ming Thing, the other being his younger brother, Ming Yue, 28.
A thriving garden often attracts a fair share of bugs, insects and other pests.
But different pests require different ways of dealing with them, says Petaling Jaya-based avid home gardener Kuan Chee Choun.
Mealybugs, a very common pest that attacks edible plants, are tiny white furry insects that can come in the hundreds if you don’t control them.
If you happen to see the bugs, physically remove them. Once you do that, their numbers will not expand.
If you do need some pesticides, there are many natural concoctions you can easily make at home.
1. Soap-based solution
A simple pesticide you can make for plants is to mix a bit of detergent with water and spray it onto the plant.