A NEW community food initiative is giving a second change to individuals undergoing drug rehabilitation at Hulu Langat’s Rumah Sahabat.
The #SunwayforGood Food Programme is combining its efforts to support communities with Burger Rumah Sahabat, a food business created by the residents and established with Selangor Youth Community (SAY) support.
Sunway Group unveiled the link during a National Day event attended by Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah at Rumah Sahabat.
The SAY royal patron joined corporate leaders and volunteers for a traditional rewang communal cooking session and tour of the facility.
The celebration brought together more than 500 guests, including over 300 children and carers representing 10 welfare homes from across Selangor.
Highlights included National Day activities and burgers prepared by Burger Rumah Sahabat.
Since 2024, selected Rumah Sahabat residents have participated in SAY’s nine-week TEAM Programme Malaysia, which develops life, employability and entrepreneurship skills.
Building on this training, SAY created Burger Rumah Sahabat to give residents an opportunity to put their skills into practice through a real business, gaining experience in areas including food preparation, customer service, teamwork, marketing and financial management.
Sunway Group in a media statement said it was buying more than 5,000 Burger Rumah Sahabat items for distribution through the #SunwayforGood Food Programme.
The order provides participating residents with income, market access and hands-on experience fulfilling a commercial order at scale, while enabling them to contribute to other communities in need.
Sunway Group chief brand strategy officer Nik Tasha Nik Kamaruddin said: “A stronger Malaysia is built when people from different backgrounds come together and look out for one another.
“At Sunway, we believe lasting impact comes from equipping people with the skills and opportunities to build better lives for themselves.
“Guided by our belief in doing well by doing good, we hope to support Burger Rumah Sahabat and its residents’ journey towards rebuilding their lives and returning to society with confidence.”
SAY chief executive officer Aiman Syafiq Nazri said training was most meaningful when participants have opportunities to put what they learn into practice.
“A commercial order of this scale gives the residents real experience in planning, producing and delivering to the standards expected of a business, while developing the confidence, discipline and independence that will support their reintegration into society.”
The #SunwayforGood Food Programme is part of Sunway’s Sejahtera Bersama campaign for National Day and Malaysia Day, which celebrates Malaysians uplifting one another and the shared responsibility to build a more inclusive and prosperous nation.
The month-long food programme comprises five initiatives expected to benefit more than 13,000 people nationwide, before culminating in a Malaysia Day celebration on Sept 16.
The initiatives include distribution of dry groceries to households in need and the Sunway Meal Pack-a-Thon, which brings volunteers together to assemble and distribute meal packs nationwide.
The programme is carried out with Sunway’s partners including SAY, Yayasan Kebajikan Negara, Malaysian Red Crescent Society, Kechara Soup Kitchen and Rise Against Hunger Malaysia.
