By, Puteri Lailatul Suraya Hairi Hafiz and Ameera Zulfa Zulkiflee
GOMBAK, 4 June 2025: This year’s Gombak Food Fest 2.0, that took place from 3 to 4 June 2025 at Riverside of IIUM Gombak, brought more than just some great food. It brought purposeful, heartfelt, and powerful messages. Among all the exciting booths at the fest, the booth by K-LINK Care Center had the purpose of making a meaningful appearance to raise awareness and promote inclusivity.
As a non-profit organization that supports children and teenagers with special needs, K-LINK Care Center shows that with the right guidance, these special individuals are also capable of producing high-quality products and becoming active contributors to society. The event aimed to raise awareness and break the public’s stereotype about persons with disabilities as entrepreneurs.
At the festival, the center sold delicious sweets and snacks like savory tacos, sweet Oreo cake, and fudgy brownies amongst them. Each of these items was prepared by individuals with special needs who have been trained in practical and vocational skills. Isn’t it amazing? These were not just some tasty snacks, but they are also proof of hard work, talent, and determination.
Empowerment through Education and Skills
K-Link Care Center is a very special place that changes people’s lives in the best way. This nonprofit center in Gombak was formed by K-Link International to help children and teenagers with special needs grow, learn, and feel proud of themselves. The center welcomes and serves students aged 10 and above who would show behavioural independence after completing the early intervention programs. Rather than focusing on one-size-fits-all approaches, the center emphasizes personalized learning through a comprehensive curriculum that nurtures each student’s academic, personal, and vocational growth. Students are guided to strengthen their academic skills that include basic literacy, numeracy, and cognitive skills for daily and lifelong functioning. Another equally important daily skill that they need to acquire is the practical skill and competency of cooking, cleaning, and self-care to foster greater independence and dignity in a student’s daily life.
Other than that, the program also puts a big focus on students’ personal and social development to help them build their confidence, emotional intelligence, and effective communication so that they can interact meaningfully with families and friends. In order to prepare them for future employment, this center has provided some occupational training that mimics real-life work scenarios, which gives them hands-on experience and confidence to contribute to future professional settings.
What makes K-Link Care Center truly stand out is its belief that every student has something special to offer. By guiding each one with patience, care, and encouragement, the center helps young people unlock their potential and explore their passions. It’s not just about learning, it’s about helping them build a meaningful, happy life filled with purpose and possibilities.
Challenging Stereotypes, Shaping Futures
In our modern society, people with special needs are still frequently perceived through limitations. Society often sees them as reliant, incapable, or needing constant support. These stereotypes not only limit opportunities but also mute one’s potential. K-Link Care Centre aims to confront these misunderstandings and their impactful presence at the Gombak Food Festival successfully demonstrated this effectively.
Their message is a simple yet a transformative concept; with the support they give, every individual has something to contribute or offer. Whether it’s baking, interacting with customers, or handling a task. This kind of vision is essential. Public events like the Gombak Food Festival 2.0 provide a platform for those with special needs to engage and excel with others in the real world, allowing them to break down the wall of fear, pity and misunderstanding. Through the development of vocational training programs, K-Link Care Centre empowers its students to build not only skills but also dignity, self-worth and independence. These experiences equip them for life outside the classroom, especially for future employment, building relationships, and community involvement.
Challenging stereotypes involves more than just changing minds, but it requires transforming structures. K Link Care Centre is actively engaged in this mission, working to build a future that once felt unattainable while inspiring communities to support them.
More About K-Link Care Centre
According to its website (K-Link Care Center – English – K-Link International), K-Link Care Centre operates from Monday to Friday, from 10 AM to 5 PM. They assess and evaluate the overall development of each student, before prescribing activities. The center conducts interviews with new parents to evaluate their financial backgrounds as this helps it allocate financial aid fairly to all students and encourages more financially stable families to help support those who require additional financial support.
Furthermore, in K-Link Care Centre, students are evaluated weekly, allowing teachers to customize activities and lesson plans to the individual capabilities, while parents maintain close involvement through daily communication logs to monitor their child’s progress. All teachers, regardless of their experience, are supported through a low teacher-to-student ratio of one to four or five. There is also help from volunteers and part-time staff that offer additional support. In addition, transportation is available within specific areas to ensure students can participate regularly.
Join K-Link Care Centre
Let’s become part of the movement. The achievement of K-Link Care Center’s booth at Gombak Food Festival 2.0 signifies more than just an event; it signifies an expanding initiative to acknowledge, empower and integrate every individual in society, regardless of the ability one has. Whether you came to the booth, purchased something or exchanged a smile, your support has helped spread a powerful message that disability is not an inability. To find out more about K-Link Care Center and explore ways how you can support this mission, visit their website: www.k-link.com/k-link-care-center.***
