Participants of the Good Will Walk waiting to be flagged off from the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib temple in Jalan Gurdwara, George Town, Penang.
WHAT started two decades ago by United Sikhs Malaysia (USMY) and Malaysia Foodbank Organisation (MFO) has grown into multiple charity projects for the benefit of the homeless, hungry and other underprivileged groups not just in Malaysia, but worldwide.
The latest feather in their cap was called the “Good Will Walk” fundraising programme at the Wadda Gurdwara Sahib in Penang.
Aimed at raising funds to help the homeless, the event drew hundreds of participants.
The 7km free and easy walk, which was flagged off at the gurdwara, became a meaningful journey for the participants.
This was because the route covered several other places of worship, including the Sri Kamatchi Amman Temple on Jalan Datok Keramat, the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows on Jalan Macalister, a Chinese temple in George Town and the iconic Masjid Kapitan Keling on Jalan Buckingham in George Town.
USMY (Asia) vice-president and MFO president Mandeep Singh said the charity project raised funds for underprivileged groups throughout the world.
“We were actively doing this even before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We can proudly say that we have been among the first organisations to go to the aid of many natural disaster victims in Malaysia and other parts of South-East Asia.
“Apart from assisting the homeless, we do other projects that address hunger, regularly contributing food items through MFO, and we even have legal and medical teams to assist the affected in the said areas,” Mandeep told state publisher Buletin Mutiara.
The day before the walk, USMY organised free medical screening at the premises of the gurdwara and in Komtar.
According to Mandeep, some 550 people benefitted from the session.
As for the “Good Will Walk”, he said it was free for all to join but participants were encouraged to contribute RM50 for a T-shirt to support USMY and MFO in their cause for the underprivileged.
One of the participants, Gurjeet Kaur said it was a routine activity for her and her friends to go for walks during their free time, and for this programme, she invited them to join.
Meanwhile, Kumitaa Theva Das said she was excited about the walk because for her, any sporting event was a good way to bring people together.
“I am from Ipoh, but I live and work in Penang now.
“It feels so good to be here on a Saturday morning because not only do we get to keep fit, but we are here to support a truly noble initiative,” she said during a brief interview before the event flag off.
Several members from the Sungai Ara Community Ambulance team were also seen assisting the participants during the walk.
The walk was flagged off by Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Daniel Gooi and Penang Island City Councillor Tan Soo Siang.
