“Hanizan wants to be remembered as someone who came to this world and left a positive dent on the planet by helping Down Syndrome communities be the best they can be.”
Hanizan Hussin also known as Ummi is a Social Entrepreneur who obtained her Diploma in Telecommunication and eventually moved on to become one of the founders of the Down Syndrome Association of Malaysia.
She is the President of Pertubuhan Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti Sindrom Down (PDKSD), an independent non-profit organization in Putrajaya. She is in charge of both PDKSD and PWSDNS, which have offices in Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur: the community center at Presint 11, Putrajaya, and the vocational center at Jalan U-Thant, Kuala Lumpur. These two (2) locations offer an early intervention and learning program, as well as a vocational training class for students with Down Syndrome.
Since May 2nd, 2019, a group of Syndrome Down parents has founded and run PDKSD. After seeing the needs of Taska Anak Istimewa Sindrom Down (ANISD) dedicated to Down Syndrome, the ideas for preschool education came about, especially after thoroughly doing the curriculum structure and the roadmap for individuals with Down Syndrome to enable independent living. All of this is due to her passion, determination, and consistency in advocating for and caring for people with Down Syndrome and their families.
Her noble accomplishments include receiving the IBU KIWANIS Award from the Kiwanis Foundation in 2002 and being chosen by the PSDM to be the center’s Coordinator, where she is responsible for planning the activities and therapies needed to improve the quality of life for Down Syndrome children who are sent to the center for services. It was an incredible moment when her contributions were acknowledged.
Prior to her role as President and Chairman, she is also being invited as a facilitator, representative, and frequent guest of Down Syndrome and frequently invited by the NGOs – seminars, workshops, webinars, and brainstorming sessions as well as people with disability events – as a guest speaker of the event just to share her remarkable contributions being the Syndrome Down “Ambassador”. People are fascinated by her story and eager to learn how it can advocate for and improve the well-being of the Syndrome Down communities.
Hanizan is a humanitarian at heart and, unknowingly, a Social Entrepreneur, but her greatest passion is ensuring PSDM is available nationwide. Being a model for other organizations in terms of advocacy and commitment to improving the quality of life for people with Down syndrome by promoting their right to be included on a full and equal basis with others. She enjoys embarking on leadership development initiatives and coaching her staff and those around her to be the best they can be.
She is passionate about assisting parents in making the best decisions for their children and seeing parents thrive and overcome obstacles as they break through the glass ceiling, collaborating with other charities, government agencies, and politicians to achieve excellence that benefits children of Down’s syndrome.
Hanizan believes there is no substitute for hard work. Her favorite quotes which motivate her are:
“I will prepare and someday my chance will come” – Abraham Lincoln “Do the best you can until you know better? Then when you know better, do better.” – Maya Angelou “Be humble. Be hungry. And always be the hardest worker in the room.” – Dwayne “The Rock”
