Emila Yusof

Islamic Relief will be doing fundraising for Haiti Earthquake Appeal in UIA from 1-4 March 2010 during their Ummatic Week.

They are planning to sell merchandise (keychain,travel prayer mats, men suitwears (for RM200), etc during the exhibition cum fundraising.

They are accepting donations in the form of handmade crafts so if you have any handmade items that you want to donate, please contact IRM:

ISLAMIC RELIEF MALAYSIA
31-7, Jalan SP2/1,Taman Serdang Perdana,
43300 Seri Kembangan.
Selangor. Malaysia
Email:  info@irm.org.my
Telephone:  +603 8948 6334
Fax:  +603 8948 7339

I received a surprise in the mailbox yesterday!

A letter from my son! Lol!

So let’s see what’s inside…

…two cards, err I mean one and a half card that my son wants me to take notice of!

Yassin thought that we can try to save Dodos but little did he knows that Dodos had become extinct before 1700; the last Dodo died a little more than a century after the species’ discovery in 1581.

Anyway, we can try to save the latter. You can ‘adopt’ a rhino HERE.

Note to Yassin: Thanks baby for the reminder!

I was just keeping myself updated about ‘green’ news when I came across about Green Police and thought that I share it with you. Do you know who are the Green Police?

Officially,  it is a nickname to a branch of local law enforcement in charge of ensuring environmental protection laws are followed. But unofficially, it is a term referring to citizens who report environmental violations to their local law enforcement agency, or enforce environmental rules at special events. The term green police has also been co-opted by companies and groups to promote environmentally-themed agendas and ad campaigns.  It can also be referred to environmental monitors hired for public or private events.

At the Glastonbury Festival, festival organizers are hiring “Green Police” to spread environmental awareness and encourage environmentally responsible behavior. Their duties include making sure festival goers dispose of their cigarettes properly, not urinate in the water and shrubbery, and pick up and recycle their trash.

Now, this is very good and I hope that our local Green Police will enforce similar effort to address our huge volume of rubbish during festivals.

In response to the recent disaster in Haiti, Humanitarian Appeal for the victims is officially launched by Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM). The appeal is launched on humanitarian ground apart from raising awareness and contribution from the people in this region.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, where endemic poverty, food shortages and conflict are a daily occurrence. About 80 percent of Haiti’s 9 million populations live in poverty.

Thousands of people are feared dead, after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the Caribbean country, last Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The country often struggles with natural disasters such as hurricanes but this earthquake is a disaster of an unprecedented scale and people need urgent assistance to prevent many more lives being lost.

The actual scale of the disaster is not yet known as all communication lines are currently down. However, the initial report had stated that homes, government buildings and hotels were collapsed, and people are still digging out survivors and dead bodies from the rubble, some with their own bare hands. The badly affected area is close to the capital Port-au-Prince, which is largely made up of slums and poorly constructed houses, many of which were not able to withstand the force of such a large earthquake.

Majority of the people are afraid to return to their homes because of further aftershocks, and many are sleeping on the streets with no shelter. There are also many dead bodies lining the streets and pavements, raising fears of a health crisis.

Base on the update report from our partner office Islamic Relief – USA, the recent earthquake was the worst to strike Haiti in 200 years. Around three million people are badly affected, many of whom have been left homeless and without food or water. At present it appears that the most needs are for food, clean water, medical care and shelter. Islamic Relief emergency response team from the UK and the US is already been sent to Haiti for further emergency relief assessment on 15th January 2010.

The contribution from IRM humanitarian appeal will be channeled to the victims through Islamic Relief branch office in USA. Currently, a USD 1 million worth of emergency aid had already been sent to the affected areas. The aid distribution is done with cooperation and coordination with various parties including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The updates and the progress of Islamic Relief work in Haiti will be closely monitored by IRM. At the moment, due to the cost and logistic factor, IRM has no plan to send team of volunteers for humanitarian aid.  However the level IRM involvement and participations will be reviewed and decided based on the requirement and progress report issued by Islamic Relief – USA.

Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM) is a humanitarian aid development agency, non government organization (NGO) with the head office located in Birmingham, United Kingdom.  With 25 years experience of implementing humanitarian program all over the world, Islamic Relief hold a various status in the international humanitarian field including a consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), member of Disaster Emergency Committee UK(DEC) and British Overseas NGO for Development (BOND) and is a signatory to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Moments and NGO’s Disaster Relief.

For any contribution and further information on the appeal please visit IRM website at www.irm.org.my or contact IRM office at 03-89486334.

source: irm.org.my

On October 8, 2009, Water, Green Technology and Power Minister, Datuk Peter Chin Fa Kui has announced  in Putrajaya that a campaign to ban the use of plastic bags will be implemented to conserve the environment and promote green technology. For a start, the campaign would be implemented at the ministry level before being expanded to shopping centers and eventually nationwide.

The campaign, although still in the stage of being expanded to the shopping centers, stores and retail shops in Kuala Lumpur have already started promoting the ban of plastic bags. The ones I came across was Ikea and Body Shop, while shopping for Hari Raya. At Ikea, they charge 20 cent for one plastic bag to discourage customers from one-off use of carrier bags and help customers make an environmentally friendly choice. Ikea believes the move will cut total plastic bag use by 20 million next year. The last time I went, I carried a small handbag so I really had to buy a plastic bag but then later during another shopping session, I carry my own handmade tote bag.

As for Body Shop, the company has been Plastic Bag Free in all its stores since 1999. Their sales person will encourage us to bag the items we bought in our own bag. Should we really need a bag, we will be given a recycled paper bag which is made from chlorine free pulps, environmentally friendly inks and water based adhesives.

Why ban plastic bags?
Plastic bags have made our lives easier in many ways but unfortunately, they are often not disposed of properly and foul our public spaces not to mention putting pressure on our already scarce Taman Beringin landfill. Furthermore, when released into the earth, the bags emit poisonous chemicals and utterly dangerous to all living things and the environment.

What should we do?
Since the nationwide campaign has yet to kick off, maybe  we can make an early online effort ourselves to help support the campaign to ban the use of plastic bags. Penang has started its campaign by going green every Monday.

When?
Right now, this minute or as at 2.28am as I am writing this post ^_^. Anytime is a good time. (Yes, I am a night owl.)

How?
Ditch the plastic bags; use recycled bag (cloth or canvas) when shopping as well as blog about the campaign.

My effort?
I am doing my bit to support the campaign and am kicking it off personally by hosting a little giveaway, Emila’s Go Green Giveaway, to one lucky winner. But you need to do something really simple for me; leave a comment by discussing your idea on how are you going to support the campaign.

The person who comes up with the best idea will win Emila’s Go Green Giveaway (a combination of my handmade tote bag and my Illustrated 2010 Calendar). Date of closing: 30 November 2009, 8pm. Anybody can enter this giveaway contest; that means locally and internationally.

While you’re at it, I really appreciate if you could vote for me on this topic by clicking Vote For My Entry banner below and vote for me. But, if you don’t want to, that’s okay, I’m still giving away the items I’m offering! Thanks heap!

I have been procrastinating for a pap smear test and after reading an article in The Sun, It’s Possible To Wipe Out Cervical Cancer (Source: BERNAMA) I realised that I really have to go and have myself tested for cervical cancer. According to consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar, “It is entirely possible to wipe out cervical cancer, if there are concerted efforts in screening and vaccination.” She pointed out that cervical cancer is preventable and if diagnosed early, also curable, unlike breast cancer.

The article also pointed to National Cancer Society of Malaysia where we can take Risk Test online. I followed the link and landed on Power Over Cervical Cancer website. I took the test.

Todate 521 women (that would be including me) have taken the online test. My result:

You’ve answered more of Yes or Don’t know

This means you have a higher risk to develop cervical cancer

Talk to your doctor to get a better understanding about your risks for cervical cancer.

As part of it’s Power Over Cervical Cancer Campaign, the National Cancer Society of Malaysia has launched Pink Mobile to make scheduled stops at the most popular spots in Klang Valley including Kuala Lumpur until December 12, 2009.

Below is the current schedule:

Wednesday
Date: 18th November 2009
Venue 1: KL City Center Drive Around, 4.00pm
Venue 2: Ladies Nite @ Twenty One Kitchen & Bar, 7.00pm

Thursday
Date: 19th November 2009
Venue 1: AMP Astro, Bukit Jalil, 10.00am – 2.00pm
Venue 2: Bukit Jalil LRT Station, 3.00pm – 6.00pm

Friday
Date: 20th November 2009
Venue 1: Jalan Ampang (Ampang Park, Menara Citibank), 12.00 noon
Venue 2: Menara UOA, Jalan Kia Peng, 5.00pm

Saturday
Date: 21st November 2009
Venue: Bangsar Shopping Center, 12.00 noon – 8.00pm

Sunday – Breakfast with POCC Pink Mobile
Date: 22nd November 2009
Venue: Taman Tasik Perdana, Tapak B, 7.00am – 3.00pm

Please, if you are near the stopovers, do make an effort to drop by and get yourself tested for the Risk Test.

Here’s a quick-facts sheet about Cervical Cancer:

Support the movement to beat cervical cancer. Use the Power Over Cervical Cancer logo or icons to tell your friends and all women about cervical cancer. I’m putting one in my sidebar ^__^

Find out More About Cervical Cancer

And yes, I will go for a real Pap Smear test next week on Monday. I hope I am not too late.

Halloween is just around the corner and junk food is the typical trick or treating fodder. Have you ever thought of treating something different? Something that is healthy for kids as well as environmentally safe? You have? That is great! I knew that you thought about it! Ok, I might have a suggestion for you to add in your list: chocolate milk in single serve, shelf stable cartons! That is right!

You don’t think that the idea is good? Before you brush this idea off, let’s go through these facts:

1. Kids love chocolate milk.

2. Chocolate milk in shelf stable cartons (Tetra Pak) can be kept in the pantry and refrigerated when needed.

3. Tetra Pak shelf stable cartons do not contain preservatives. They have a low carbon footprint and are recyclable.

So you think it’s a great idea after all! Great! To get started you can get a free Organic Valley and Hershey’s coupons from Trick or Treat Me website! Here, you can learn more from about the health and environmental benefits of serving milk in shelf stable cartons.

Once you’re there register yourself by filling in your name and e-mail.

When you hit continue, you got to choose up to five cute monsters. Hit continue, you will be instructed to upload an image for your monster. Upload your face or your friend’s face and crop. You can later send the file to your friend by e-mail, complete with your own message. I think it’s very cute! With every trick or treat you sent via e-mail, Tetra Pak will make a 10 cent donation to WWF (up to $30,000).

Not enough fun? Send a Halloween tweet to someone and find out who is the scariest twitterer at Twick or Tweet Me!

From Netster’s blog, I came to know that more than 20,000 dolphins and porpoises are being slaughtered each year and their meat, containing toxic levels of mercury, is being sold as food in Japan, often labeled as whale meat.

The majority of the world is not aware this is happening as the place of the slaughter activities, Taiji Cove, is blocked off from the public. Cameras are not allowed inside and the media does not cover the story. It’s critical that we get the word out in Japan.

There’s an on-going petition currently being held at Care2 Petitionsite to stop the killing and they need at least 50,000 signatures (currently there are over 43K signatures). I’ve already signed the petition and now it’s YOUR TURN.

My son is doing his bid by drawing a picture of dolphins:

I hope it’s not too late to wish all Muslim friends and bloggers a Happy Ramadhan!

Like previous Ramadhan, I am helping Islamic Relief Malaysia (IRM) to spread words about its “Ramadhan Feed the Fasting” Programme to help the poor and needy through distributing food packages during the holy month of Ramadhan. You will be feeding not only the poor in Malaysia, but also the poor in 25 countries where IRM is currently working to help them.

DONATE NOW!! YOUR RM50 CAN FEED A FAMILY FOR 2 WEEKS!

Click HERE now to donate online or directly! I will be donating too! If you have donated, thank you so much on behalf of IRM!

To see IRM’s food distributions last year, please visit  IRM Feed The Fasting blog.