What We Are: Nur Salam provides a safe and healthy environment that is available to all children in the Chow Kit district of Kuala Lumpur. At Nur Salam, children, particularly those at-risk, can get food and shelter, as well as participate in educational, health and recreational programmes.

Background: Nur Salam grew out of a collaboration between Pusat Aktiviti Kanak-Kanak (PAKK) Chow Kit, which was under the Department of Welfare (Wilayah), and Yayasan Salam Malaysia. PAKK was originally a day care centre following the national model, but the needs of Chow Kit were not adequately served by a centre open only from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. The collaboration with Yayasan Salam allowed the centre to be open 24 hours every day, and to provide programs for all children in and around the Chow Kit area. The expanded centre is now known as Nur Salam, with PAKK a key partner.

What We Do: Over 400 children are currently enrolled at Nur Salam, about 50 to 100 of whom come to the centre on a given day. Most children come after school and on weekends, but as of July 2009, there are several children who stay full time in the dormitory space. Most of the children are originally from Chow Kit, but there are also children who have come to the area from other parts of Malaysia, who may have been trafficked, or who may be refugees. Most children come from one-parent homes, and many are the children of sex workers and/or drug addicts. In addition, many of the children do not have documents such as birth certificates or identity cards; some are stateless and unable to attend regular schools.

Nur Salam provides children with two meals each day and a safe place to come in from the streets. We also have educational programs, including basic reading and maths tutoring, computer classes, and an educational “toy library.” Play therapists come to the centre every week to work with children in need of counseling. We have volunteers who come in to read to the children in English, and others who organise recreational outings to performances or local attractions.

We also take very seriously our role as protectors of children. This means that Nur Salam staff work closely with other NGO’s and the Department of Welfare to care for children in desperate circumstances. Staff have met parents and children at hospitals, police stations and on the street to get children out of immediate danger, and Nur Salam social workers provide case management so that children have access to legal and therapeutic services. Staff also advocate for children, nationally and internationally, focusing particular attention on the plight of stateless, trafficked and refugee children who lack access to healthcare and education.

To better serve the range of ages who come to us, Nur Salam is opening a hub for teenagers and a centre for very young children, both in the Chow Kit neighborhood.