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The Lost Generation In The Valley Of Hope

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Danielle
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This is a heart wrenching video indeed. It's about the famous leprosy centre in Sugai Buloh ,just 25 km from the Twin Towers of Kuala Lumpur. It was officially opened in 1930 by the British Government to isolate and treat leprosy patients the early days of the disease. In fact it was the 2nd largest leprosarium in the world at that time! At its peak there were over 2,000 patients or residents, but today there are just 200. They have either died or moved out, some even migrated to greener pastures. To most folks Sungai Buloh is where the green nurseries are located. In fact there are still here, within the colony. Some remaining residents are still manning their small community nurseries to make a living. In 2011, this colony was declared a National Heritage, and a museum of the colony is planned. This video takes you to visit one of the last remaining residents here. He is Ah Thong, an octogenarian from Ipoh who applied to be admitted into the colony when he was 26. He speaks his native Hakka and Cantonese. He has been here for almost 50 years and have never stepped foot outside of the colony gates for fear of being shunned. In his conversation he says that he has never seen the sea, nor the airport or the Batu Caves nearby. His legs have given up on him ten years ago and now he moves about in a very difficult manner and he has gotten used to surviving like this. We were lucky to follow him back to his house, which he says he never allowed any visitors in. After tending to his small nursery task he takes the day off all by himself in his home. His siblings are all gone, he is not married , and said that in those early days male and female residents were not allowed to mix. This centre  is called the Valley Of Hope.. To Ah Thong  hope of a better day is all he has got. Your visit can  cheer up Ah Thong in  the Valley Of Hope, as the nurseries here are  opened to public.
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Documentary
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