Jasminah Ali, a skilled sports trainer and physiotherapist, honed her expertise in Australia, where she studied and worked for several years. Upon returning to Malaysia in 2001, she joined a pioneering team of doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists as a volunteer to serve NASAM Sabah. The organization was officially launched in Kota Kinabalu in November 2001. This initial group formed the center’s first committee. When others moved on, Jasminah tirelessly dedicated herself to establishing Sabah’s first NGO for stroke rehabilitation, which became fully operational in 2004.

In its early days, the center saw only a handful of stroke survivors attending therapy sessions. With limited resources, Jasminah and another volunteer physiotherapist conducted just two sessions per week. Today, thanks to her unwavering commitment, NASAM Sabah has flourished into one of the most active NASAM clubs. The club now hosts approximately 50 stroke survivors daily, offering therapy sessions five days a week.

Since taking on the role of Chairwoman in 2007, Jasminah has leveraged her extensive expertise in sports training and physiotherapy to elevate the quality of the club’s rehabilitation services. Recognizing the growing needs of the stroke community, she and her team are now actively seeking larger premises and are fundraising to make this vision a reality.