Towards 3-Generation Neighbourhoods

[Bala Pillai]

Yang Jerng,

Dadhyanna Tan is great value. Persistent. Passionate and it could energise our neighbourhood renewal enthusiasm. See exchange below. Connect with her. She's Chindian.

cheers../bala


Bala: Hi Dadhyannaaa  saw your name in an Amma program book
Dadhyanna: Hiiiiiiiiii dear
Dadhyanna:
Dadhyanna: are you back in kl?
Bala: how are you ma'am?
Bala: yes am here for a while
Dadhyanna: very well thank you
Dadhyanna: how are you?
Bala: I am doing super -- taking leadership of my extended family
Dadhyanna: your extended family?
Bala: extended family = my father continues to be bedridden in Semenyih ( 2 doors away from the new Amma place there) and so this is leadership over 5 sisters and 2 brothers and their children
Dadhyanna: when did you arrive?
Bala: a week ago but I was here a month ago for 3 weeks too
Bala: I am spending lots more time in India and Malaysia now
Dadhyanna: i see
Bala: everywhere I go, we seem to run into Amma (cos of Milly Kassim hehehe)
Dadhyanna: ooohhh! so you have met Milliee not too long ago?
Bala: I havn't met her for a year now
Bala: but my sisters do
Dadhyanna: i see
Bala: she came to visit my father in hospital several times
Dadhyanna: oh!
Bala: to get him to give Amma a house
Dadhyanna: she is doing her best to emulate Amma
Dadhyanna: oh? really?
Bala: i c -- she is quite a convincer
Bala: yes, but good that my father didn't budge on it hehehe
Bala: we'll have to sue her to get back rent
Dadhyanna: hehehhee
Dadhyanna: aaaah the rent story
Dadhyanna: good for him too
Dadhyanna: so you are mostly over at semenyih?
Bala: I'm mostly in Klang but I am setting up an apartment near Mid Valley
Dadhyanna: 5 sisters, 2 brothers and their children?? that's like whoa!!
Bala: that's funnnn!
Bala: I like big problems Dadhyannaaaaa
Bala: I get bored with small challenges
Bala: they are like "been there, done that"
Bala: and it is lovely teaming with my elder brother -- I love him heaps
Bala: he is a bachelor so he had lots of time for family
Bala: but he and my father don't get along
Dadhyanna: hmmm....what a coincidence that you mention that...about small challenges and getting bored
Bala: and he was good for executing a low agenda. I am good at being world class in creativeness and imagination
Dadhyanna: but of course
Bala: how are u Dadhyanna?
Bala: let's meet up soon
Bala: what are u up to
Dadhyanna: i am doing well.
Dadhyanna: i am leaving my job soon
Dadhyanna: dec 17 is my last day
Dadhyanna: done with the "smaller challenges"
Dadhyanna: and the politics that go with it
Bala: oops sorry Dadhyanna..
Bala: got distracted by Howard Bloom on another window who is so hard to catch
Bala: back to u
Dadhyanna: no worries
Bala: are u taking some time off after Dec 17 or are u getting into another role right away?
Dadhyanna: well....this time round...it would be more time for the 2 girls who are growing up fast...and am on a lookout for what could be on a part time basis
Bala: i c -- makes sense to me
Dadhyanna: many feel that day cares and baby sitters would fill in for another couple of years while i enjoy my career
Dadhyanna: yet....due to my upbringing,....being there for a 7 and a 5 year old would matter more now
Bala: Yes -- very much so
Bala: Dadyanna, one thing I am 100% sure of now:-
Bala: Some people make the world happen, more watch the world happen, most wonder what happened.
Bala: So sentences beginning with "many people" are quite useless to those who stand up and take responsibility
Bala: so good on you, girl!
Dadhyanna: exactly
Dadhyanna:
Dadhyanna: i do have a biz plan as well but so far..have found closed doors cause the investors are not ready for the plan
Bala: was it for the restaurant?
Dadhyanna: no...the restaurant would take off later
Bala: what's the biz plan for then?
Dadhyanna: this involves several segments of society...from children - both normal as well as that from the homes, single mothers, senior citizens
Dadhyanna: it starts off as a home where for every 6 children who are taken care off, 1 child is adopted from the welfare home.
Dadhyanna: these 6 children pay for their care and stay....ie..at residential areas.
Dadhyanna: the home is available 24 x 7
Dadhyanna: and parents can opt for a day - care, noon - care, night-care and even weekend-care
Dadhyanna: now the senior citizens are roped in to look into various areas to over look the home
Dadhyanna: single mothers are roped in to take care of chores, food, and upgrade their skills while they manage the operations of the home
Bala: i c -- email the plan to me (if u are agreeable) to ba...@apic.net
Dadhyanna: from there food catering, laundry, sewing facilities are offered to those in the residential area
Bala: I like your loving style and the idea is good
Dadhyanna: thus it fends for the home, those who offer their skills and the residents in that area
Dadhyanna: everyone who runs the home will get an allowance
Bala: the key is you
Bala: to make sure the values are right
Dadhyanna: and the neglected children will mingle with the normal brats
Dadhyanna: and flourish
Dadhyanna: the senior citizens will gain compassion from the children
Dadhyanna: and the single moms will get hope
Bala: I'm working on a large real estate project in Jelutong, Penang and we might be able to work it into that
Dadhyanna: in a few years....such communities will be so independant...they will seek strength from within
Dadhyanna: oh! fabulous
Dadhyanna: will send the biz plan to you
Dadhyanna: the trouble today is...."many people" want to have a say without a clue of the essence of the plan
Dadhyanna: they try to understand it and it well....tapers off to nowhere
Bala: I am particularly into 3 generation neighbourhoods where grandmothers get to tell stories to grandchildren on their laps. Like I was brought up. But your idea could be a stepping stone to it
Dadhyanna: but that's it...the senior citizens are the grandmothers who are no longer in existence
Dadhyanna: there are no laps to sit / place one head on
Bala: yes, and that is such a big loss
Dadhyanna: the welfare homes are filled to the brim with no direction for the children
Bala: both for the grandparents and the grandchildren
Dadhyanna: and in the last 5 - 10 years..huge gaps have been created and thus the individualistic nature of today's youth
Dadhyanna: yes...so true
Dadhyanna: everything is for a price
Dadhyanna: but nothing at the price of love
Dadhyanna: compassion is not even heard of in the youth these days let alone in the young adults
Dadhyanna: grandparents who are in their late 50s and 60s and even able 70s have no where to go
Dadhyanna: so they sit idle and groan over the worse of today
Dadhyanna: there is just no place to seek that little bit of self worth
Bala: yes, very much so. Lonely lives -- like my dad is a caged tiger now
Bala: and he just cannot deal with it
Dadhyanna: exactly
Dadhyanna: yet...children already have compassion and love within them
Dadhyanna: it is society who would slowly segregate it and today these few segments yearn for love and that bit of compassion and get none
Bala: let's work on your plan and I know the guy who owns the Montessessori chain here -- Clement Hii of the Systematic group -- we might or might not rope him in
Dadhyanna: okay
Bala: as of a few years ago, he was not getting it when I did some organisational development work for them, but he might now
Bala: also I'll introduce you to my partner, Han Yang Jerng whose passion is renewed neighbourhood designs.
Dadhyanna: i see
Dadhyanna: okay
Bala: he will work with you on the details more
Bala: while I focus on the capital raising pitch
Dadhyanna: sounds like a plan
Bala: ok Dadhyanna..I've got to go. Will respond to your email
Bala: ba...@apic.net
Bala: and my phone is 016 291 1985
Dadhyanna: okay
Dadhyanna: take care dear
Dadhyanna: see you soon
Dadhyanna:
Bala:
Dadhyanna: