July 3, 2014

The good works of Soup Kitchens

I read in the news today that the Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan is asking Soup Kitchens in KL to move out of HIS city and not help the homeless people on HIS streets anymore because HIS city's image is very bad.

I am not going to argue with that because I really do not want to stoop so low especially during this holy month of Ramadan.

Today I would like to share with everyone the good works Soup Kitchens are doing on a daily basis, in particular Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) as I had the fortune of volunteering with them on many occasions.

As we would all expect, a soup kitchen serves food to the homeless people. But it is not all that they do. KSK in particular do so much more than feed the homeless community. Serving food to the homeless people is just the very first step to connect and to gain their trust. With the connection that the soup kitchens have made with the homeless community, the sky is the limit as to how we can help get these homeless people back on their feet and off the streets.

Many people have the impression that all homeless people deserve to be in their situation and should not be helped. Yes I admit that there are homeless people who got themselves into such situations but there are also many who were forced into being homeless for various reasons. Regards of the reasons, we should not discriminate.

I had the fortune of volunteering with KSK so I have seen with my own eyes and even spoke to some of the homeless people and I can tell you that many of them although have made some mistakes in the past, are willing to do whatever it takes to get back on their feet and off the streets. All they need is a little support from the community and this is where Soup Kitchens like KSK play a major role.

Below are some of the many things KSK is doing to help the homeless community.


Medical Care via Kechara Mobile Clinic







Haircut by volunteers




Providing food to the hardcore poor via Kechara Food Bank




- KSK also provides a space for the homeless community to do their laundry

- Provide counselling services

- Help connect them to jobs

- Help connect them to Nursing, Old folks homes
 

Below are some of the many cases of KSK helping the homeless community to get back on their feet. Do head over to those links to read:

- Four more homeless off the streets

- Off the street – Ganapati and Shila with their son Jonathan

- Better vision for Uncle Ong

- Helping Chris

- Securing Ng’s future


All that I have shared above are only a small part of what Soup Kitchens like KSK is doing for the homeless community. There is so much more they do on a daily basis to help these homeless people to get back on their feet and off the streets.

More importantly soup kitchens provide a lot of care and support to the homeless community which is something they do not get often. Caring for the homeless people who are part of our community is not wrong.

I really hope the FT Ministry will reconsider their actions. The Ministry should be working with these soup kitchens instead of getting rid of them.Perhaps Tengku Adnan should volunteer with the soup kitchens to see the real situation.

To read more of the good works Kechara Soup Kitchen is doing, head on to their website (http://www.kechara.com/soup-kitchen/) and facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/KSKPage)


*All information and images are extracted from KSK website and FB page

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