This statement from the Kechara Soup Kitchen stands true in all aspects of the word. Shane and I had been given tours of this organization and it’s religious background. We’ve met with key people in the organization, discussed collaborations and tonight we joined another team to a different part of the city of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
It is past 11 in the night, the city is half asleep but never really going into deep slumber. People are still dining out in 24 hours restaurants, some are families with young children, others are friends enjoying time together in brief respite from the heat of the day. A few sit alone wolfing down their suppers before heading home from work. Then there are people standing on the streets, alone or in groups of two or three. On more deserted streets, people bundled up asleep on the corridors.
Our group of volunteers head to spots known to ‘house’ the homeless. The leaders of the group check on the ‘regulars’ making sure they are alright. We distribute food and chat with them. Some feel so happy that Shane, a foreigner from the United States takes the time to help. They want to know more, where he comes from and if he was married. 😀 There, for a short period of time is just people getting to know one another, laughing and sharing a moment of the evening.
Below is a gallery of photos from tonight’s work.
On an overhead pedestrian bridge 
Corridor along shophouses 
Food for a security guard 
At the bus stop 
Foreign workers ending their day’s work to sleep here 
Our team of volunteers
The top reasons for homelessness in Malaysia include unemployment, low income and domestic violence. Contrary to common perception, the majority of the homeless in Malaysia are foreign members of the workforce who do not have access to a sustainable source of income to afford a place to live. Moreover, the homeless community is often targeted by employers seeking to exploit them by paying them below minimum wage. In other words, the homeless are victims of their circumstances and do not live on the streets by choice. The media has made several documentaries highlighting their plights and to educate the local communities so they can change their perspectives on homelessness. It is still a working progress.