JOHOR BARU: Covid-19 has become an added burden on the poor as lockdowns, accompanied by joblessness have further beset the have-nots of their meagre income.
Thus it was a huge relief last Saturday for 134 families residing in the low-cost flats in the Setia Indah area, here, when they received rations from a non-governmental organisation (NGO) called Pertubuhan Ihsan Johor (Ihsan).
15 members of the NGO, formed in 2016 to promote a culture of volunteerism among Johoreans, were on hand to help in the task of giving out the rations to the recipients.
The entire exercise was supervised by Farrah Faridah Baptist, the Chief Executive Officer of Ihsan.
The contributions consisted of flour, rice, eggs, vegetables, oil, fish, milk, onions and chilies.
Later, speaking to the NST, Farrah who is a former bank executive, who enlisted with Ihsan in 2018, said the organisation welcomes anyone to join, irrespective of gender, race or religion, and individuals imbued with the spirit of volunteerism.
The NGO has figured prominently in efforts to alleviate the hardships brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic in the past 16 months.
In the initial stages of the pandemic, Ihsan's efforts were focused on making and distributing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to frontliners and families engaged in the fight against the virus or affected by its incidence.
"After Ihsan's launch in 2016, we swung quickly into action because of floods in the state towards the end of 2019," said Farrah, a mother of four children who are now enlisted full time with the NGO.
"It's not just in emergencies that Ihsan helps out people who are affected. We also aid people who are too poor and stricken to help themselves while beset with homelessness and poverty," she said.
For example, she said that Ihsan has built 36 homes between 2016 and 2018 for people who found themselves to be homeless.
"We built the homes from money obtained through a grant of RM1.8 million from the government of former Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin," revealed Farrah.
She said each home was built in three days in a collaborative effort between Ihsan volunteers and residents.
"Thus we managed to give people who found themselves suddenly bereft of shelter through poverty or misfortune a home to stay in," said Farrah.
Out of this building effort came a section of the NGO called Ihsan Johor Homes which is concerned with the building of homes.
Other sections soon followed. Ihsan Johor Kitchen concerns itself with the preparation of healthy food for families.
There is also an Ihsan Johor School that instils the culture of volunteerism in members so that they understand the protocols involved.
Farrah said her plunge into volunteer work with Ihsan is fuelled by her near-death experience when giving birth to her fourth child in 2019.
"I had to be revived three times in the course of that difficult birth. I not only survived but also had a bout of deep vein thrombosis after that, which was scary," she revealed.
"After those experiences, I felt I have to give back to society and this motive was supported by my husband," she remarked.
"I remember what my mother said when I was small which was don't just be good, do good," recalled Farrah.
"As long as the Ihsan team is around, we will continue to serve and help those in dire straits," she added.