A quest by a single committed individual to ensure no one went hungry as he did in his youth, gave birth to a food distribution network which is today a well-known name across Malaysia due to the sheer scale and impact of its outreach work.
Kechara Soup Kitchen or KSK as it is referred to, extends from feeding the less privileged to mobile clinics, food banks, upskilling and training for single mothers, job placements and shelter for the elderly.
Founded by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche in 2006 and registered as an NGO two years later, KSK gathers over 10,000 Malaysians annually to help their fellow countrymen in a multitude of ways.
This includes serving over thousands of meals, delivering regular food parcels to families and helping doctors and other medical personnel treat thousands of patients annually, and even helping with free eye-checks and hair-cuts!
KSK has one of the largest databases of ‘clients’ in its system, which is painstakingly updated each week to ensure the accuracy of the information collected.
The data is also accessible via an App.
Each individual seeking assistance has to be registered prior to obtaining a service and referred to with respect and by name where possible, which ensures no one from any marginalized community is ever ‘faceless’.
Clients are also only able to get access to food, medical or other services once they produce their identification card, which is an important tool for KSK to help identify the root cause of homelessness and poverty in urban areas.
This is also critical in fund-raising, planning and operations, especially during peak periods and extreme weather conditions.
Medical records in the database are also essential information for the doctors to follow up with the client’s health status.
KSK also works closely with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and the Federal Territory Ministry to tackle homelessness issues, and has collaborations with over 30 NGOs across the eight states it has a presence in.
To help celebrate its milestone in Malaysia, and the impact the NGO has had on thousands of lives over the past decade, KSK recently organised a Food Bank Symposium.
Experts shared their expertise in food collection and distribution with the aid of corporate partners and logistics companies critical for the food supply chain.
The event was graced by Selangor royalty, Tengku Zatashah Idris - who is a regular KSK volunteer and over the years worked alongside Malaysians of all ages and backgrounds to bring food and medical care to the needy.
Tengku Zatashah also initiated the #zerofoodwastage programme.
Also present were Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, Dr Ong Kian Ming.
The 10th Anniversary Celebration also included a giant cook-out by 60 UCSI University Hospitality students and staff, with food items and ingredients sponsored by Tesco.
KSK president Henry Ooi said while they had grown in scale and impact over the past decade, KSK remained true to its original mission of feeding the less fortunate.
“Hunger knows no barriers, and there are hundreds who go hungry daily in the heart of the Golden Triangle in Kuala Lumpur alone.
“Identifying the hot spots and providing aid in the most respectful and thoughtful manner possible is the ethos of KSK.
“We are proud of what we have achieved but much more needs to be done,” he said.
KSK’s flagship centre is in Jalan Imbi, KL, with large operation centres in Penang and Johor.
It became a member of the Association of Asian Food Banks in 2015 and embarked on the Zero Food Wastage program surplus food collection in 2016, which entails working with hotel and supermarket chains to collect unsold perishable items for distribution.
Those who wish to support or donate to KSK can visit the website at www.kechara.com/soup-kitchen.