Putting personal struggles behind to help the less fortunate

KUALA LUMPUR – Recently, The Vibes interviewed Heidy Quah, the 2017 Queen’s award leader who has been championing the rights of refugees in Malaysia.

As part of The Vibes’ initiative to shine a light on young champions, the team learnt of her struggles to help feed thousands of refugees in the Klang Valley, with the aim of promoting and sharing these positive stories of humanity in a time of crisis.

Heidi and her band of volunteers come together weekly, forgetting their own personal struggles, to help the less fortunate.

Their self-propelled mandate to aid refugees has been boosted by the scores of Malaysians who have also called their hotline to seek help to feed their families.

In sharing their plight, many companies have contacted us, and PETRA Group chairman and chief executive Datuk (Dr) Vinod Sekhar has stepped up, through the Vinod Sekhar Foundation together with Mydin Group, to reach out and lend a helping hand.

This week, it is learnt that the Vinod Sekhar Foundation has contributed RM200,000 to help fund Heidy’s Refuge for Refugees and ensure that, for the next few weeks, her team has all the necessary items to provide food aid to those in need on a weekly basis.

The necessities packed in the bags include rice, eggs, onions, potatoes, milk, noodles, masks, vegetables, sardines, flour and lentils. These bags are delivered to about 1,000 families weekly across the Klang Valley.

Vinod stopped by last weekend to see first-hand the process and met some of the volunteers. He told to us that, in our worst hours, we see the best of Malaysians stand up to be counted.

“We can’t allow anyone in this country to be left starving. These are the people who are most at risk and have nowhere to go. I applaud Refuge for Refugees because it is putting itself out there to make a difference, to actually give hope to people who feel hopeless.

“As the nation continues to battle Covid-19, it is encouraging to see the youth activated to help those in dire need, and it’s definitely something that should be done by every Malaysian who can afford to do so,” said Vinod. – The Vibes, August 11, 2021