It’s easy to feel helpless and to drown into depression with the job losses, endless lockdowns and so much more during the pandemic.
With COVID-19 cases still numbering above the 4,000 mark on the daily in Malaysia, some of us are grappling with so much that sadly, a few have given up hope on life altogether.
HOW YOU CAN HELP THE COMMUNITY DURING THE PANDEMIC
There are many ways to be involved and give back during these trying times. Even if you are stuck at home, the Internet and social media have made all manner of help possible.
How to help:
1. Donate money or supplies
Rice, milk powder, eggs, or clothes, you can donate these directly to those in need, or through reputable NGOs and social enterprises that are aiding the underprivileged.
2. Checking in with people who need support
These people can be your neighbours, your colleagues, your relatives, those in your social circle or those who hang a #whiteflag outside of their houses.
Check up on them, either by calling them on the phone or texting them. And since we are living in a social media world, it doesn’t take too long to video call, or comment on their profiles. This simple gesture can do a lot in terms of uplifting someone’s mood!
3. Volunteering
If you are young, with a lot of time on your hands, why not volunteer to run errands on site, or deliver resources to the elderly.
4. Utilise your passion to help
If you are good at graphic design, perhaps you can collage all the resources that could provide aid to those in need and share in your social media.
Also, if you spend a lot of time on social media, spare some time to share and repost good causes on your profile.
SOME NGOs AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE THAT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE
We do not have to look far to give back. Start off with our own community, the people we know on a daily basis.
1. Stirring Up Borneo (SUB)
SUB is a social enterprise that aims to EMPOWER, UPLIFT and GIVE BACK to community. Their Free Meals for the Needy initiative, done in collaboration with La Bella Sposa Wedding Gallery is a 2-in-1 initiative to help local hawkers stay afloat, by purchasing food from them to be given to affected families.
This is an ongoing initiative carried out twice a week.
2. Kuching Food Aid
Kuching Food Aid is a community-led initiative that provides food aid through various participating supermarkets.
3. Teach for Malaysia
This might be a different kind of assistance, but a good one for sure to help support student learning and wellbeing during the pandemic. Teach for Malaysia (TFM) and YTL Foundation’s Learn From Home programme provide free supplementary learning material to help all students registered in government school to learn from home.
4. Enchanted Youth Club by TECauldron
Organised by TECauldron, Enchanted Youth Club is a channel that distributes milk and diapers to relieve worries of parents. TECauldron also has a food bank that provides those in need with daily necessities at their physical outlet in DEPO, Kuching.
ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
If you are in serious need of additional mental health support, do reach out to these hotlines:
- Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (MHPSS)
Tel: +60 3 2935 9935 or +60 14 322 3392 - Talian Kasih: 15999, or WhatsApp +60 19 261 5999
- Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (Tel: +60 3 7627 2929)
- Malaysian Mental Health Association (Tel: +60 3 7782 5499)
With that being said, take the time today to reach out to three people you know and check in on them. It can either be a quick ‘Hoping you are well’ note, or catching up with them on a heart-to-heart conversation. A little gesture makes a huge difference.
