JARO staff celebrates Hari Raya

 

In the month-long celebration for Hari Raya, I was delighted to accept an invitation from my friends in JARO - Johor Area Rehabilitation Organisation - to join them for their annual Hari Raya lunch.

 

Shoppers at the cashier counter at JARO

I arrived early with the aim to browse around the showroom, a bright and well-stocked space ever since the JARO building was upgraded and renovated in 2018, in a project that was initiated by Think City Johor Bahru.

 

Like JARO, I too have a relationship with Think City Johor Bahru as their first book project here in 2017. This continued in 2023 with their Downtown Johor Bahru project to encourage more activities downtown after the lockdown years.

The Wild Wonders collection in JARO

While working on the third and final instalment of My Johor Stories in 2019, I decided that JARO would fit into the book’s theme, Proudly Johor, Then and Now, a book that was published by MPH Kuala Lumpur and launched in December 2022.

 

It happened that during the lockdown period, MPH decided to close all their bookstores in Johor Bahru – even that one in the airport – so readers here were compelled to order my book online through mphonline.

 

A section of the JARO showroom

While some readers enjoy online shopping, many readers still preferred the traditional way of buying books, who have to hold the books, flip through pages and look at the contents before deciding to buy. I am grateful for the permission from MPH to keep a small stock of my books here for readers to buy from my pop-up store and from the JARO showroom.

 

I have always enjoyed working in partnership of JARO so it was my privilege to connect SUS Academy, one of the city’s most established digital design institutions, with JARO in April 2024 for one of their students to work on his Final Year Project in collaboration with a charity organization.

 

Another section of the JARO showroom

I was pleased to see the Wild Wonders product series in the JARO showroom that feature animal patterns with local elements from Johor, used on JARO rattan products, fabric items and in book bindings.

 

Designed by final year student, Gerard Tan Li Quan, the Wonders series showcases a mix of natural elements and traditional designs that feature Malaysian animals like the Tiger, Tapir, Hornbill and Orangutan with intricate patterns while the Wild series highlights the geometry of modern design with traditional flora and fauna.

 

These trendy fabrics were designed in a choice of cotton and satin into cushion covers, chair pads, scarves, tote bags and stylish sashes ties onto rattan baskets woven by JARO’s gifted artisans with disabilities.

 

JARO Chairman, Datuk Jimmy Low, welcomed
everyone with an opening address

As familiar JARO committee members and supporters arrived, I joined them at the staff dining area in the lower level of the building where some 50 staff from the three workshops in JARO – tailoring, basketry and book-binding – were eagerly anticipating the pleasure of enjoying a sumptuous buffet spread.

 

We were met by JARO Chairman, Datuk Jimmy Low Boon Hong, and the JARO administrative team who also welcomed guests from various corporations and well-wishers on arrival to join their lunch celebration.

 

Lunch is served!

Datuk Jimmy Low was proud that JARO provides training and employment for people with disabilities in workshops that create quality, custom-made handicrafts and book-binding services.

 

In addition to receiving training, employment and a salary, JARO also provided staff with EPF savings and SOCSO insurance coverage. With the training provided, some of the staff were able to find employment elsewhere and left JARO to pursue their own careers.

 

It was good to see the staff helping themselves to the festive food in an orderly way, with some helping their colleagues who were differently abled, to enjoy the leisurely meal together.

 

JARO is pleased with their tradition of celebrating annual festivals with their staff including Hari Raya Aidil Fitri with the support of generous donations of food and snacks from well-wishers.

 

Plenty to eat and enjoy at the Hari Raya lunch

Among the well wishers were Mr & Mrs Tony Khoo who sponsored festive favourites like Chicken Rendang and Ketupat while the New York Hotel provided Sweet & Sour Fish fillets. The Grand Paragon Hotel sponsored a pot of Bubur Pulut Hitam or black glutinous rice porridge while the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru provided Brownies and two types of cookies.

 

A gathering like this for a buffet meal was also an opportunity to meet other friends of JARO and renew the acquaintance with them. After lunch, many took the opportunity to visit the showroom to shop for quality and useful handicrafts.

 

The JARO showroom is located at No. 18, Jalan Sungai Chat, 80100 Johor Baru, Johor. Tel: +607 – 224 5632.

 

Visitors are welcome to the showroom, open from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm. Also opened on Sunday from 9am to 3pm. Closed on Saturday.

 

Note: Book Three, My Johor Stories 3: Proudly Johor, Then and Now, the final instalment to complete the trilogy of My Johor Stories, is available at JARO.