Author archives: AliceKoh

Shane’s efforts paid off when Food Aid Foundation and Tesco Malaysia answered his calls for food supplies to GIFT Foundation. Along with vegetables from the suppliers at Selayang Market, GIFT is facing logistic and structural issues which need immediate resolutions. Lack of funding and community cooperation is necessary.

Our programs update at GIFT Foundation for all the work and activities we have done over the past two weeks. It actually surprise me because I felt like we’ve been helping for far longer. The refugee communities are receptive of our assistance and participate in our programs regularly. We have certainly make some life long friends.

I have Shane here who has never seen coconut trees except when he was in Hawaii and my sister’s kids who are city kids. They are trying to harvest some coconuts from the trees their dad planted across their house. Read on my post about these city kids harvesting coconuts and watch a video of their attempt.

Our first Champa wedding at a plantation is filled with curiosity, adventure and warmth of the community. These brothers and sisters earn our respect for their camaraderie, resilience and faith in their daily struggles living as undocumented immigrants. Dr. Firdaus is a woman of courage and kindness fighting for their causes.

Best way to teach children about a new culture is presents! We introduce Chinese new year to GIFT Foundation refugee and Muslim children by handing them ang pow. It’s great to see Shane getting a warm reception from the children. His efforts at building trusts with the children are definitely working. They are more open and seek his attention.

Chinese lunar new year 2018 is the year of the dog zodiac. We are blessed to celebrate with my family back in Malaysia. Read about the food we served for our reunion dinner, fun activities and visits we made. Highlights of our visit to a Buddhist temple to get blessings from the monks.

We met up with Dr. Firdaus who is the founder of GIFT Foundation in Klang, Selangor. This NGO offers shelter and assistance to the Rohingya and Champa refugees as well as a safety place for impoverished children in the neighborhood. Shane introduced programs and tools to help and educate GIFT members.

Naza World with kids is a great activity idea for a fun weekend with family. This automobile showroom has a great collection of sports cars and motorcycles. It’s car enthusiasts’ paradise. We have so much fun exploring the vehicles. Sales executives at Naza World Automall are very professional and friendly. An excursion kids still talk about everyday.

We volunteered at the Kechara Soup Kitchen in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to feed the homeless community. The night exercise gave us an insight to the food and medical aid programs, distributing centers and how active volunteerism in Malaysia is. This is the first time I become fully aware of homelessness issue in Malaysia.