PEKAN: Fatimah Abdullah's voice choked with emotion as she spoke about her newly refurbished single-storey house at Kampung Kuala Pahang here today.
The mother-of-three could not hide her excitement as she proudly took those present for a quick tour around the house to show her new dining table set, study tables, sofa set and solar panel which were installed last week.
The 46-year-old, who has been living in the settlement for some 40 years, described the repair and painting works conducted on her house without any charge as "a dream come true".
"There were holes on the wooden floor, termites had attacked the walls and the environment inside the house wasn't suitable for my children to study. It was tough as my husband only works as an odd-job worker.
"But now, everything has changed, my house underwent a major transformation.
"We have new zinc roofs, the floors has been changed and even covered with carpets, and study tables for my children to do their revision. I was only thinking of doing the repairs once my eldest son starts working....I can only thank God for providing all these assistance," she said.
She said two of her children, who will be sitting for their Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah and Form Three Assessment next year, now have a proper study room at home.
Fatimah is among 52 residents from the settlement who were picked by Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) under the Facelift D' Kuala programme which aims to transform the people's social landscape in Kuala Pahang.
The activities involve changing the once sleepy fishing village into a vibrant and favourite destination among sea-food lovers by conducting refurbishment works on the dilapidated homes on both sides of the road.
Meanwhile single mother Rohani Abdullah, 46, said she was grateful to Prime Minister and Pekan member of parliament Datuk Seri Najib Razak and UMP for their concern in helping transform the livelihood of the people here.
The mother-of-four said staff from UMP's Faculty of Civil Engineering and Earth Resources had visited her home before providing a proposal on how the house will be given a totally fresh look.
"I was impressed and the work was completed within a short time. I have been staying here for 46 years and never had plans to beautify my house or even repaint it.
"Apart from repairing my five-bedroom house, UMP is also in the midst of helping me participate in vegetable farming activities..I will soon be able to sell the vegetables planted next to my house with the guidance from UMP staffs," she said.
She said prior to the repair works, her house was leaking and termites had attacked the wooden frames.
Meanwhile, UMP vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Daing Nasir Ibrahim said besides the physical transformation, the programme is also aimed at ensuring a mindset shifts, where the villagers were told about the importance of keeping their homes tidy and get involved in fertigation farming activities.
"This is not a one-off programme but it is a continuous process to ensure the people here reap the benefits from the transformation. Besides living in comfortable homes, we want the villagers to move along with the times and to adapt to the changes," he said,