JUGGLING demanding careers and family commitments leaves working professionals with precious little personal time.
Yet, there is increasing number of these individuals in Penang who are actively dedicating their precious time and skills to helping others in need.
For them, modern charity work requires meaningful engagement rather than occasional event attendance.
They firmly believe it is about showing up, lending a hand and making a difference.
Their stories prove that small acts of kindness can fit seamlessly into busy lives.
Service with skills
For holistic nutritionist Tiffany Loh, 40, volunteering began with a simple desire to put her skills to good use.
After completing her degree in Australia, she returned to help in the family business, but wanted to contribute to the community in her free time.
The regular visitor to Mahindrama Buddhist Temple in Jalan Kampar, George Town, learned about the Amata Diabetic Clinic from a monk there and soon began providing consultation services.
“I saw an opportunity to put my expertise to work,” she said.
Loh’s community involvement has grown over the years.
In 2020, she joined the temple committee and has gone on to volunteer at health camps and help clean a Buddhist centre, as well as undergo training to support its beginners’ classes.
What began as a weekend commitment expanded to weekdays whenever her schedule allowed.
Loh, who is married and still involved in the family business, said staying organised and prioritising her time helped her balance work, family and volunteering, with the support of her husband and family.
“I plan my time, prioritise and then move on to the next thing. It is important to have a clear mind and not get stressed.”
The satisfaction of helping others is reason enough for her to keep at it for the long term.
“Volunteering teaches us humility and not just focusing on oneself. You use your skills for something bigger than yourself,” she said.
Loh hopes more young people will discover the joy of giving back by finding a cause close to their hearts.
“I hope to see more young people become interested and help out in any charity, non-governmental organisation (NGO) or a cause close to their hearts.”
A good way to start, she said, would be to approach an NGO or religious group and ask about volunteer positions.
Serving with heart
For 29-year-old lawyer A. Nisha, volunteering represents a genuine personal calling.
For the past three years, she has spent two days a month helping out at Klinik Derma Sivasanta in Sungai Pinang, George Town, after being introduced to the organisation by a senior lawyer.
The clinic is a charitable initiative under the Temple of Fine Arts, aimed at providing free or accessible medical care to those in need.
Having been interested in charity and volunteer work from a young age, Nisha said the opportunity felt like a natural fit.
“For me, it was a calling.”
She said volunteering gave her an opportunity to use her skills to contribute to society.
Much of her work involves helping members of the B40 community with legal matters.
While some cases might seem minor, Nisha said, even small legal problems could weigh heavily on those already struggling to make ends meet.
“I try my best to solve their problems, no matter how small the matter may seem,” she said.
She sees volunteering being about commitment too.
She intends to continue serving even after marriage, believing that a personal “fire” is needed to keep giving even as life grows busier.
“I want my future children to look up to their mother.”
Nisha also wants her offspring to grow up seeing volunteering not as an obligation, but as a way of life and learn that there is always room to give back, no matter how busy life gets.
Duty to the community
Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Tan Boon Cheong, 54, believes that as a professional, he has a duty and responsibility to give back to the community.
“You don’t have to be wealthy, retired or have lots of free time to give back,” said Dr Tan, who has been volunteering at various NGOs, charity homes and old folks homes for over 10 years.
“As doctors, lawyers and other professionals, we are privileged to have the knowledge and skills to help others.
“It does not have to be something big or take up a lot of time.
“Just follow your heart and help where you can,” he said when met at Klinik Derma Sivasanta, where he joins other volunteer doctors and healthcare professionals to provide care to the underprivileged.
For senior physiotherapist
P. Mehala, 29, volunteering at this clinic was a dream that came full circle.
A student of dance and music at the Penang Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) since childhood, Mehala had long been aware of the clinic’s activities and community work.
“I always hoped to someday be blessed to contribute in some way,” she said.
That opportunity came in March this year, after she established herself as a physiotherapist.
But her journey in community service began much earlier.
After her graduation in 2023, Mehala travelled to Pondicherry, India, where she spent two months helping out at a physiotherapy clinic while pursuing a course in manual therapy.
Working alongside visiting orthopaedic consultants from established hospitals in Tamil Nadu opened her eyes to the value of taking professional healthcare beyond the clinic and into the community.
The experience inspired her to continue serving when she returned to Malaysia.
Today, every opportunity to volunteer leaves her with a sense of fulfilment.
“Serve, give, love. Something I have always thought about,” she said.
For Mehala, physiotherapy should not be seen as only for those who can afford it.
“In a fast-paced, commercialised physiotherapy landscape, access to it should reach everyone, regardless of socio-economic status,” she said of the free service she provides.
Sometimes, she said, helping did not require a treatment plan or specialised equipment.
“They just need us to lend an ear.”
It is the simple act of listening, alongside the skills she gained as a physiotherapist, that makes each day of service feels a little more complete for Mehala.
Joy in giving
Insurance agent Heng Kang Jih, 43, recalled being a youngster with no patience to do any charity or volunteer work.
“As time passed, I was inspired by my father’s recycling efforts back home in Gurun, Kedah.
“Our neighbours used to leave their recyclable items at our house compound and I helped sort out the items.
“Today, I am carrying on my father’s recycling efforts,” he said, adding that the feeling of wanting to help people caught on.
Heng moved on to volunteer with Befrienders, but quit soon after for fear that his lack of language skills would hamper efforts to advise those calling in.
His calling came in 2021 when he followed his sister who volunteered at a welfare centre.
“My mother was also a volunteer there, so I decided to join because it would be a good opportunity for me to spend time with her,” he said.
Heng, who meets clients on weekdays, said he had never planned to become a volunteer.
It was only after he learned about the Tzu Chi Community Care Centre in Desa Green, Jelutong in Penang, that he found another way to continue efforts he had grown up with.
The care centre offers day activities for the elderly, with charitable, medical and community support.
Its volunteer-run recycling activities remind Heng of his father and the work he used to do in Gurun.
“It was something that happened naturally, and over time, the care centre became a place I simply enjoyed returning to whenever I could.
“Volunteering is not about recognition or reward, but about doing something I genuinely love,” Heng said, adding that he visits the centre whenever his schedule allows.
Fellow Tzu Chi volunteer, music teacher Tan Soo Suan, has been involved in volunteer work since she was 16.
Through volunteering, she said, she came to understand and gained a deeper insight to the struggles faced by others.
“I believe every professional has an opportunity to contribute to society.
“We just simply need to find the right way to match our skills and time with those who need help,” said Tan, 49.
