When it comes to charity, there are so many causes to get involved in, lend a hand and your time, or simply spread awareness about it. There is one particular cause in Malaysia, however, that is in dire need of more assistance and help from both public and private sectors, as well as the community itself . The number of homeless people on the streets of Kuala Lumpur is rising, and it is becoming a serious social problem.

The Kechara Soup Kitchen

Kechara Soup Kitchen, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to providing assistance to the homeless. It was formed in 2006 by a small group of volunteers under the Kechara Buddhist Organization. Every day from 11am to 1pm, volunteers from all faiths and walks of life provide a free meal consisting of rice and vegetarian dishes, biscuits, buns, and mineral water to people in need. The place is also equipped with laundry facilities for the people to utilize during that time.

When I met Justin Cheah, Project Director of Kechara Soup Kitchen, he enlightened me on the common misconceptions about the homeless people, or ‘friends on the street’, as he calls them. “Many people are ignorant about how serious the plight of homeless people is. A lot of people would say that these people are lazy, useless, or ‘drug addicts’, and should simply shape up and get a job. What they don’t realize is that many of these people have hit rock bottom. I used to be someone who thought that way, so I don’t blame them. They just aren’t aware of what these people have really been through.”

He said that people need to understand that nobody actually wants to be homeless, but it has become their last option. “We find that many people that end up here have been through really hard times. Some grew up in broken homes, coming from really poor families, who end up in the wrong crowd. Some have ended up addicted to drugs due to poor education and lack of a support system growing up. Some unemployed people don’t receive enough welfare to support themselves. They have reached a very low point in their life and need help to get back up. It’s easy to judge from our perspective, but we have no idea what they have gone through.”

How it Works

Photo credit: Kechara Soup Kitchen, Facebook

Justin explained how the Kechara Soup Kitchen helps them in starting over and building a better life for themselves. “We don’t just provide food. We also give them medical assistance when needed, and use our contacts however we can to help land them jobs. A common problem faced by the homeless is that when they do get a job opportunity, they are unable to follow through because they don’t have an address. So we allow them to use our soup kitchen as their own mailing address.”

On Saturday nights, Kechara Soup Kitchen sees more volunteers, an average of about 80. This is when they pack meals and head out to the streets around Kuala Lumpur to deliver them to people living on the street. Not only does this ensure they receive a meal every Saturday night, it’s also their way of getting into contact with people who could use their services. “Only by venturing out are we able to help those who aren’t familiar with what we do. We can also identify people who need medical assistance. Many of them who know us rely on our Saturday night rounds, especially those who are disabled or sick and cannot come to the soup kitchen during the afternoons. It’s also a great opportunity for volunteers to spend their Saturday nights helping others in need, and seeing for themselves how the needy live.”

Justin says the battle against the growing homelessness is a tough fight, and more awareness needs to be spread. He says, “We could always use more volunteers and donations. Of course, monetary donations are always helpful, but we understand that not everyone is in a position to help in that way. We are always in need of volunteers with specialized skills, such as counsellors and medically-trained personnel, and companies who may have job vacancies for our clients. What we also really need is long-term donations for our soup kitchen. We have local as well as multinational companies who provide us with one-off food supply, but it would be great if we could get that on a long-term basis. For example, businesses that have products that will expire in a few months, instead of throwing them out they could donate them to us. The people who come in day after day have come to rely on us for their very survival and we feel a duty to give them a filling, nutritious meal.”

For more information on how you can get involved with Kechara Soup Kitchen, please visit their website at: www.kechara.com/soup-kitchen.

KECHARA SOUP KITCHEN
17,Jalan Barat (Off Jalan Imbi) 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603.2141 6046
E-mail: [email protected]

Read more:

• Getting Involved with Charity: An Expat’s Tale
• A Malaysian Celebrity and His Quest to Give Back to the Community
• Deborah Henry: A Beauty Queen with a Heart of Gold

Source: The Expat magazine September 2015