Shelter, a Basic Need

In Sabah, a state in East Malaysia, many locals still live in abject poverty. One case was recently highlighted in the media where a widow with three young children was living in a shack so dilapidated that it is inconceivable that this is happening in a progressive society.
It is an indictment of the relevant authorities who failed to follow up on her case when she registered for aid.

Indeed credit must be given to the teacher who went to see why his student had not gone to school. It was he who saw the dismal conditions under which they were living and he helped the widow to register once more with the relevant authorities. She revealed that whenever she went to inquire into the outcome of her application she was told to wait.

Her wait dragged into months and then years. Meanwhile she had three young mouths to feed, clothe and school expenses to foot. Her toil under the sun in a plantation only earned her RM10.00 a day, which is just over USD 3.00, provided she can find work.

Now that the media has brought her plight into the open, embarrassed officers and departments started moving, especially when it was made known that the Prime Minister’s wife had started the ball rolling by getting the Girl Guides to hand over donations they had collected. Hopefully, this family will get better housing soon and the mother will be able to find work that will enable her to support her young family, without being exploited.

Why is it that the hardcore poor are often ignored and deprived of what is a basic right, by the indifferent attitudes of those who should be helping?

At the other end of the spectrum are the mansions where its owners live a lifestyle that is the envy of the ordinary folks. In fact housing is becoming less affordable these days, especially for those who have just entered the job market. Prices of property, especially condominiums, have rocketed. An ordinary wage earner finds it impossible to buy a landed property unless it is very far out from the town where he works, which means he has a long distance to commute each day.

Whoever said that life is fair?

How Much is Enough?

What do we need? Our basic needs are food, shelter and clothing. When those three are available, we turn our attention to other needs such as lifestyle and the human psyche.

First, how much food do we need?

To survive and to have sufficient energy to function, an average woman needs between 1500 and 2000 calories while a man requires between 2000 and 2500 calories. Of this amount how much should come from the various food types? How much protein, fat or carbohydrate do we need?

The broad figures are 30% from fat, 10% from protein and the rest from carbohydrates. 1 gram of fat is equivalent to 9 calories while one gram each of protein and carbohydrate are each equal to 4 calories.

So you can do your sums from there. The nutrition information panel which is found on each packaged product lists the ingredients and the levels of the four major nutrients in the product, i.e. energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates. Packaged drinks have to display the amount of sugar in the product.

This information helps you to make informed purchases of food while bearing in mind your daily caloric needs.

Oh, oh, how tedious, to have to calculate and count the amount to eat! There’s no need to fret. Just take a look at the nutrition information panel and know roughly what is healthy and what is not. Then stay away from the unhealthy products. For example, a diabetic will not pick up a product that has high sugar content because he knows that is not good for him.

Most of what we need to eat are complex carbohydrates such as tubers, brown rice, whole grains, whole wheat and fiber. We also need to eat more fruit
and vegetables. What should be eaten least are the fats and sweet desserts which are full of empty calories and contain lots of sugar. Some fat is necessary for our metabolism.

The trouble with us is that we have too many choices, too much food available and our taste buds are stimulated by the visual temptations before us so that rational thinking leaps out of mind and we fill up the trolley with food that we don't really need, much to our detriment.

Adopt a Pet and Make a Difference to your Life

Having pets increases the quality of life among human beings. Many benefits are derived from the company of pets, be they animals or birds.

Keeping pets reduces stress and loneliness. It has been medically proven that the therapeutic benefits are many. People who are ill recover better when they have pets. Pets are empathetic and can help their owners get better faster.

Having a pet, especially a dog requires its owner to walk it daily and by doing so, the person gets sufficient exercise which in turn helps to lower his high blood pressure and high cholesterol if he has these two conditions. Petting a dog can also lower his pulse rate. Dogs make you feel good. I once had six of the big fellas! Two of them, a German shepherd and a Rotweiller lived up to the ripe old age of more than 12 years. Caesar and Brutus died within a couple of months of each other, so close were they.

Cats are also very good companions. People who have cats for pets enjoy better health. Cats are also empathetic and a cat can certainly make its needs known. My cat used to nip my ankle gently when she was hungry, to remind me that it was time for her dinner! When I felt down she would rub herself her head against my calf. When I went away on holiday, on my return she would “nag” me first before welcoming me by rubbing against me!

Somehow the cats and dogs have a way of communicating with humans. They don’t talk yet their looks (yes, they do have expressions ) can speak volumes. Their intelligence is truly superior.

Having a pet also teaches a young person responsibility. The parents have to instill into their child that having a pet means taking responsibility for its well-being, spending time with it, playing and talking to it. A dog is not meant to be caged and left alone during the day only to be released at night to do guard duty. I believe a dog is as human as any of us. It needs love, companionship and understanding. It needs proper nutrition, exercise and medical attention when it is not well.

Taking good care of your pets will bring you lots of joy and incomparable companionship. However, there’s no need to buy pets. There are so many up for adoption, in need of loving homes. You can make a difference in their lives and yours.