WHAT started two decades ago, the United Sikhs Malaysia (USMY) and Malaysia Foodbank Organisation (MFO) have been championing multiple charity-based projects for the benefit of the homeless, hungry and other underprivileged groups not just in Malaysia, but worldwide!
The latest feather to be added to their cap was when they organised a fundraising programme, called the ‘Good Will Walk’ at the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in Penang on April 30.
Aimed to raise funds for the homeless, the event drew hundreds of participants from different walks of life.
The 7km free and easy walk, which was flagged off at the gurdwara itself, became a very meaningful journey for the participants.
This was because the planned route covered several other places of worship, including the Sri Kamatchi Amman Temple on Jalan Datok Keramat, the Church of our Lady of Sorrows on Jalan Macalister, a Chinese temple in George Town and the iconic Masjid Kapitan Keling on Jalan Buckingham in George Town.
USMY (Asia) vice-president and MFO president Mandeep Singh said the charity projects collaborated by both USMY and MFO have always been to raise funds for underprivileged groups throughout the world.
“We have been actively doing this even before the occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I am talking about the days when Aceh (Indonesia) was hit badly by the Indian Ocean Earthquake and tsunami in 2004.
“I can proudly say that we were among the very first organisations to go to the aid of many natural disaster victims in Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.
“Apart from assisting the homeless, we also cover other projects that involve hunger, regularly contributing food items through MFO, and we even have legal and medical teams to assist the affected in the said areas,” Mandeep told Buletin Mutiara.
It was also learnt that the day before (April 29), USMY organised a free medical screening session for Malaysians and foreigners at the premises of the gurdwara and in Komtar.
According to Mandeep, some 550 people were believed to have benefitted from the session.
As for the ‘Good Will Walk’, Mandeep said it was free for all to join but participants were encouraged to contribute RM50 for a T-shirt to support USMY and MFO for their cause for the underprivileged.
One of the participants, Gurjeet Kaur said it is a routine activity for her and her friends to go for walks during their free time, and for this programme, she invited a few of her friends to join for a good cause of giving back to the community.
Meanwhile, Kumitaa Theva Das, said she was very excited about the walk because according to her, any sort of sporting event is a good way to bring people together.
“I am from Ipoh, but I live and work in Penang now.
“It feels so good to be here on a Saturday morning because not only do we get to sweat out to keep fit, but we are here to support a truly noble initiative,” she said during a brief interview before the event was flagged off.
Several members from the Sungai Ara Community Ambulance team were also seen assisting the participants during the walk.
The walk was flagged off by Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi.
Story and pix by Kevin Vimal