DONATE SENSIBLY TO CHARITIES
A whiff of aroma from a nearby food stall must have triggered my tastebuds. I was now feeling famished. It was only hunger a few moments ago.
It was 1980. I was 21 and had just entered into my second year as a rookie reporter with the now defunct Straits Echo Press. As I alighted my two wheeler “kapchai “ at the entrance of Pudu Wai Sik Kai ( Glutton Street ), I was greeted by a constant flow of people flocking the stalls that lined both sides of the 100 meter street from one end to the other.
It was 7pm, the peak of dinner time. Like everyone else, I was there to treat my hunger. Not only was there a variety to choose from, it was also one of the cheapest place to get food.
I remembered it was the beginning of the month because it was more crowded than usual when everyone must have had their pay check. Except for me. My company was running late again. I retrieved my wallet from my back trousers pocket and made a quick mental calculation on how much to spend that would leave me enough for my petrol and meals the next few days without resorting to a loan from friends and colleagues again. A monthly take home pay of just RM 250 was definitely a challenge, even by the standards of those days.
As I made my way to the “ Chee Cheong Fun” stall, I spotted two beggars. I glanced at their porcelain bowls used to invite cash donations from kind hearted souls and to my shocking disbelief, realised that the amount in their bowls was more than the ringgit I had in my wallet. It suddenly dawned on me that it was not because they had much but because I had very little.
It never occurred to me that this encounter would have such a profound impact on me that it would shape the catch phrase of Caring Soul , a small charity outfit which my wife and I founded 30 years later.
“ I learned to give not because I have many but because I know exactly how it feels to have nothing “ is now also used in my various social media platforms. It became the guiding light in the progress of my career.
Helping the needy wisely
Several years later when I was capable to fend for myself, I began to put aside coins in a piggy bank. I started giving in a small way. Once a year, I would empty my piggy bank and armed myself with the bag of coins to visit the Temple of the Nine God Emperors in Jalan Ampang during its festival. Scores of beggars in various profiles dotted the temple grounds. My wife and I would drop a small handful of coins into every beggar’s bowl impartially.
My early understanding of charity was to give without questioning until a wise man one day advised me otherwise. I learned in later years that helping the needy has to be carried out with wisdom, giving priority to cases that are more deserving. We must also have the wisdom to distinguish between the genuine ones and those who disguise to hoodwink and take advantage of the kind hearted.
As I progressed in my career to a position of authority, I was able to contribute more towards charity causes. I sought to find good reasons and opportunities to give to the needy without harming the interest of the companies that I worked for.
Of course, I needed to be blessed by bosses who supported my reasoning.
Like any successful businesses, I found that charity work requires creativity, consistency and a passion grounded in sound principles.
I have come across leaders from two ends of the scales. At one end are those who scorned at charity causes, believing they are a waste of time and resources.
At the other end are those who set aside a portion of their earnings to form large charity foundations that reached out to thousands of deserving cases, enriching the lives of the needy with the vast amount of wealth they have amassed. A work of charity can come in different clothings and we can feel it in our bones if it was done with sincerity.
When we are in a position of authority, there are plenty of opportunities to exercise our influence to do more for the needy.
Some time in the year 2007, I was representing my company to buy a piece of land in in Kuala Lumpur. The land owner approached us directly without using the services of any agent and we agreed on a price of RM 15 million. As he had saved on the agent’s commission, he magnanimously offered us a 2 % rebate ( amounting to RM 300,000 ) to be donated to a charity organisation of our choice.
We donated the funds to the National Kidney Foundation only after the principals agree to provide free dialysis treatments for one of our staff’s husband for life.
As the Chief Operating Officer of my company, I initiated a three day community service leave annually for all staffs.
Dozens of hampers received from contractors, suppliers and business associates every year end that were declared to my office were subsequently donated to various charity organisations.
The corporate communications department was instructed to budget for at least three charity events annually.
When I came across homes in some of my visits and found their toilets in deplorable condition, all I needed to do was to give a call to my contractors. I would ask them to provide the labour while we provided the building materials to repair the toilets for the homes.
And when an orphanage in Petaling Jaya needed to expand their home to the neighbouring lot, it was not too difficult to get our electrical contractor to fix the electrical wirings for the entire home free of charge.
I can go on and on with many examples. It all boils down to whether we have the intention to help. If we do, it can be as simple as giving a phone call, especially so if you are in a position of authority.
In 2008, I attempted to form a charity foundation in my company with the blessing of my bosses but faced many obstacles along the way, chief of which was the funding strategies. I soon learned that a start up fund of RM 1 million for a charity foundation was just a drop in the ocean. Projected cash flow revealed that the sum will not last very long if we do not have a dedicated team of personnel to constantly find ways to raise funds for the foundation. The project never took off by the time I opted for early retirement in 2010.
Starting Caring Soul
Disappointed and feeling remorseful, I changed my outlook on how I wanted to contribute to charity. With that in mind, my wife and I founded Caring Soul in the year 2010.
We wanted Caring Soul to be a platform on which working class people are able to contribute to a good cause without having to foot out any form of financial assistance. Hence, we started organising events that were voluntary in nature, offering our time and services to the needy.
Any incidental expenses that arose from these activities were taken up by us. To give volunteers a sense of belonging, we commenced a website, offered them a standard uniform and organised annual get togethers with our personal funds. We endeavour to remind volunteers that we will not engage nor get involved in any form of fund raising activities so as not to run foul of the law or subject ourselves to unnecessary criticisms. After all Caring Soul is and will not be a registered organisation.
In spite of this, it is quite inevitable that my wife and I still need to contribute some cash to the homes from time to time when we see them struggling with their monthly expenses.
Calling it a day
Apart from age catching up with us, the three years of lockdown under the Covid 19 pandemic rules have also eroded the pillars of Caring Soul that were built upon the foundation of spending quality time with the needy.
Our past events which centred around mingling with them had to be carried out cautiously and responsibly so as to safeguard the safety of both our volunteers as well as the homes’ inmates.
This has invariably affected the core values of Caring Soul. Just visiting them “ in a hurried manner“ and always maintaining a safe distance run against the very essence on which Caring Soul was founded.
My wife and I have journeyed through 14 years of voluntary activities, supported by the kind souls of 50 volunteers at our last count. Along the way, we have heard of many sad and bizarre stories in various charity homes. Children who were abandoned by their parents in orphanages and parents who were abandoned by their children in old folks homes is a common phenomenon. Yet, we have also learned not to pass judgement too quickly.
Caring Soul indeed has had its fair share of successes and failures since its inception. Without doubt, its members have touched the lives of hundreds of people over the years, bringing them joy and cheers in one form or another. However, we remain disappointed that we were unable to attract the younger generation to participate in our activities. More than 90% of our volunteers are aged 50 and above. Hence, as a childless couple ourselves, we see little chance that there will be any succession to the leadership of Caring Soul.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our volunteers for following us in this journey through thick and thin.
From whipping out delicious dishes to dancing and singing with the old folks, from participating in charity bazaars to providing hair cuts and trimming their nails - I am sure the inmates from the various homes will continue to long for their caring hands and attentive ears. They have not only dedicated their precious time to help bring some cheers to the needy, but also at times contributed to the homes financially in their own small way. Yes, they have indeed live up to Caring Soul’s tagline of “colouring lives” over the years.
And in return, what they gained over the years of kindness was a good dose of dopamine that had brought them a sense of peace and satisfaction after each event.
With the experience gained over the years, we hope they will continue to serve the less fortunate in their personal capacity or participate in other charity outfits.
To our friends who have given us their moral support both explicitly and implicitly , we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Just like our volunteers, I am sure you have also touched the lives of many needy people in your own subtle way.
As I pen this last message of Caring Soul, let me assure you that my wife and I will continue with our thoughts to help out the needy in our personal capacity and in a different manner. Perhaps it is all a cycle - maybe we will start dropping coins into beggars bowls again.
Last but not least, I leave it to God’s will as to whether Caring Soul will get a new lease of life from someone who has the advantage of age and finance to lead it to its next phase of charity work.
With warmest regards to all of you and may God bless you and your family.
Vincent & Bee
www.caringsoul.org
24th February 2024
