“I believe that children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside.” These lyrics from the song ‘Greatest Love Of All’ by Whitney Houston cannot ring truer for single mother Zarina Zainuddin.
Believing that it’s her duty to teach her children well so that they grow up to be good human beings, she gets them involved in activities that instil in them some of life’s important values. One of them is empathy.
This 42-year-old housewife has been actively throwing herself into charity work. And tonight is no different. We meet in town where she’s feeding the homeless and the urban poor off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman in the capital.
But she’s not alone. Every Thursday night, Zarina will bring her four children, ages 8 to 17, to lend their help to her and other volunteers from Feeding the Needy, a group which provides food to the homeless, urban poor, and physically-challenged through a soup kitchen programme.
“I love charity work. I found out that there are so many homeless people in KL alone. When I first joined, I only helped with wrapping the food. After seeing so many children among them, I felt sad. So now I have made it a habit to help out,” she confides.
On how she wants to inspire change through her children, she says: “I’m doing this so that my kids can see, learn and follow. I want to expose them to the real world and teach them the values of life and food. They know better not to waste food now. At first, I let them observe the surroundings. Later, I gave them duties.”
The children, shares Zarina, did not complain. “They didn’t know what to expect, though. They were shockedwhen they saw homeless kids. After a while, they offered to help.”
Her efforts bore fruit when one of her children received the Tuanku Bainun Young Changemakers Awards, which recognises young talents and enables them to share their stories and inspire others.
A BOY WITH A BIG HEART
Firdaus Ahmad Farouk may be only 14, but he never fails to follow hismum every Thursday night, rain or shine, to help feed the needy. And he’s been doing this since he was 12.
“They (the less fortunate) have suffered enough. So I want to help them as much as I can to ease their burden. I found out about this programmefrom my mum,” explains Firdaus.
It wasn’t easy at first, he confides, as he tends to get shy around people. “It was my first time encountering the homeless, so I didn’t know how they would react. But after a while I got used to it. I made lots of friends,” he says, smiling.
Clad in a blue plaid shirt and jeans, a cap worn jauntily back to front, Firdaus takes his place at the children’s table. He looks energetic considering he had just played football with his friends before coming. He appears at ease, as if he’s been doing this all his life.
There’s no awkwardness as he dishes out the meals to the unfortunate children and interacts with them to ensure that everything goes smoothly. The children’s faces beam with joy as they devour the meal set in front of them.
This experience, shares Firdaus, has certainly brought the best out of him and he’s proud of the award that he won. He credits his mother for this. Says Firdaus, eyes lighting up with pride: “My mum is my superhero. She has the most influence on me. She has been everything, from provider to taking care of me when I am sick. I don’t think I can ever do enough to repay what she has done for me. The only thing I can do for now is to help her out whenever possible.”
This sporty student vows to continue helping the needy with the full support of his family and friends. “It makes me feel good to be able to help people. I know I will be rewarded in the hereafter. I won’t stop donating my time and energy,”confides Firdaus.
Although he’s yet to be the talk of his school, he hopes his achievement will inspire his friends to do something good as well.
Firdaus, who wants to be a philanthropist when he grows up, shares this advice:
“Keep doing what you love andmake sure you enjoy it. Help people whenever and with whatever youcan. Most importantly, don’t stop doing good things.”
PROUD MOTHER
“Firdaus was nervous the first time I took him here. He lacked confidence but he can manage on his own now. I don’t have to give instructions so much. He knows his way around already,” shares Zarina.
She was surprised when her son was shortlisted for the award and went on to clinch the top three spot. “His hard work has finally paid off,” she adds, smiling.
She believes that this achievement is an eye-opener forFirdaus and also a stepping stone for him to do more. “I’m glad I get to do this with my kids. They will appreciate things more.”
As for Firdaus, Zarina feels really proud of what he has become. “He’s a different person now. You know how boys can be.
Last time, I had to shout to get him to clean his room and stuff,” she chuckles. “Now, he does it without being told. He’s been more helpful to me and his siblings.”
Her advice to her children: “If you want love and respect, you must first love and respect other people. Always be humble no matter who you are.”
CONCERNED SOCIETY
The night only starts to kick in around 7pm. Many of the homeless are already waiting along the shops. Some are sleeping, others are chatting. The bustling sound of vehicles and the monorail right above their heads don’t seem to bother them. I smile at an old man sitting on the steps in front of a bank and slowly
approach him.
“People call me Ah Wa,” he says as I sit next to him. Ah Wa, just like the other homeless souls around me, is waiting for the food which will be distributed to them shortly. I ignore the confused looks I receive from those coming in and out of the bank as I train my ears to hear what Ah Wa has to share.
“Everynight I’ll wait here.There are so many clubs and organisations who help us. Bless them!” he confides, as he rolls a tobacco and lights it up. Ah Wa, who came from Johor, has beenhomeless forover 20 years. He has no family or a job for a very long time.
“I jus t sleep wherever I feel comfortable. During the day I will beg
for money just to buy a drink. At night I will take food from all these kind people,”
he adds.
A woman joins us. She, too, is one of the less unfortunate people. What she says tugs at my heartstrings: “You must be a special person. Not everyone would simply sit next to people like us.”
As the volunteers approach with
the food, the homeless people start to form a long line. Throughout the meal distribution, they never stop uttering “Thank you” witha big smile on their face.
What I witness makes me realise that not all inKuala Lumpur are fortunate enough to have a roof above their heads or are able to enjoy at least a meal per day.
I’m glad there are concerned members of society like Zarina and people as young as Firdaus who are willing to devote their time and energy so selflessly to help make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate.