Empowering Lives, One Day at a Time Persatuan Rumah dan Perkhidmatan Cheshire Sabah

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Cheshire Home, Likas, Kota Kinabalu

Founded in 1974, Persatuan Rumah dan Perkhidmatan Cheshire Sabah stands as one of Sabah’s most enduring pillars of compassion and structured empowerment. For over five decades, the organisation has evolved from a residential care facility into a transformative ecosystem dedicated to enabling persons with disabilities to live independently, confidently, and with dignity

The first Home opened its doors in Kota Kinabalu on 29 January 1983, followed by a second centre in Sandakan on 8 April 2000

. What began as shelter has grown into a movement rooted in inclusion, skills development, and sustainable independence.
A Legacy Built on Leadership



Guided by steadfast governance, the organisation is led by:


President: Mr. Lawrence Hee
Vice President: Ms. Kathy Ong
Honorary Secretary: Ms. Mabel Chong
Honorary Treasurer: Ms. Caroline Voon


The recent fundraising campaign was officiated by Roger Chin, Sabah State Assemblyman and Legal Advisor of Sabah Cheshire Home and Services, reflecting continued institutional support and public trust


Leadership here is not ceremonial. It is structural. It builds systems where dignity is not symbolic but operational.
Structured Empowerment in Motion
Residential Programme

A nine-month structured residential programme equips participants with essential life skills, social confidence, and workplace readiness, forming the bridge toward independent living
.

Skills Training & Economic Empowerment
In collaboration with ATI College, vocational pathways include:

Pastry and chocolate production
Housekeeping training
Laundry services managed by trainees with special needs
Mobility support via wheelchair-accessible vehicle loader

Since 2011, more than 200 trainees have successfully entered hotel employment or achieved independent working capability

. This is not charity. This is capacity-building in action.
Early Intervention: Shaping Futures Early


Taska Mesra Cheshire in Kota Kinabalu (est. 2014) and Sandakan (est. 2020) provides structured early childhood intervention for children below four years old

In those early years, development is delicate architecture. With guidance, support, and specialised care, foundations are strengthened before barriers can harden.
Social Enterprise with Purpose


Sustainability is woven into the model through community-facing initiatives:

Treasure Shop, Sandakan (2016)
Thrift Shop, Kota Kinabalu (2024)
Cheshire Mobility & Cheshire Laundrette (2018)
Independent Living Centre Cheshire Sabah (2020)
Cheshire Edoris Chocz (2024)

Each initiative generates income while serving as practical training platforms. Commerce here carries conscience.



Present Impact
Today, the Home supports:

49 Residents
22 Skills Training Trainees
19 TASKA Children

An additional centre operating in Sandakan

Behind every number is a name. Behind every name, a journey.
Sustaining the Mission

Operating at this scale requires approximately RM2.5 million annually

. Funding is structured through:
30 to 40 percent government grants
60 to 70 percent fundraising and public donations


The newly launched Cheshire Fundraising Raffle Ticket Project aims to raise RM300,000

. Proceeds support:

Residential care and daily living assistance
Medical and wellness needs
Early intervention programmes
Skills training and empowerment initiatives
Facility maintenance and operational sustainability

Public participation is invited through:

RM10 Annual Membership
RM1,000 Lifetime Membership

Support here is not transactional. It is transformational.

A Home of Courage

From your document, 
a poem that deserves its own quiet spotlight:

Within these walls, hope softly grows,
In gentle hands, compassion shows.

Through every trial, through silent pain,
Strength rises up again, again.

Not just a house, but hearts that care —
A place where love lives everywhere.

— Suzan George, 25 February 2026

A Shared Responsibility

For more than five decades, Persatuan Rumah dan Perkhidmatan Cheshire Sabah has proven that disability does not define ability

It defines resilience.
It reveals courage.
It reshapes possibility.

Article write up by Suzan George


Location: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

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