SEREMBAN: During the Covid-19 lockdown about five years ago, some Malaysians found it difficult to put food on the table after they lost their jobs almost overnight.
Swimming coach Irene Hisham knew she could not just sit idly by when the most vulnerable worried about feeding their families.
She sprang into action with a simple idea and a determination to ensure those down on their luck would never go hungry.
As movement was restricted during the MCO, the mother of three repurposed plastic storage cabinets into “food drawers” stocked with pantry essentials.
With help from friends and family, she filled them with groceries such as rice, sardines, sugar, flour, cooking oil, eggs, instant noodles and tea leaves, and placed them along the five-foot way of a commercial area in Seremban 2 with a sign inviting those in need to help themselves.
Word spread fast and by the end of 2020, two drawers had become 27.
Her initiative had garnered the attention of local Facebook groups and people from all walks of life came forward to make contributions.
This small project later evolved into Pertubuhan Rumah Helang, an NGO dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable communities.
Irene, 63, is no stranger to giving. Even before the pandemic, she had been setting aside RM10 from each student’s monthly swimming fees for charity.
In 2019, she rallied her network of friends to build a wooden house for a jobless man whose home had been swept away by flash floods.
It was the name of her swimming school, the Flying Eagles Swimming Club, that inspired Pertubuhan Rumah Helang, a symbol of hope to inspire people to soar through adversity.
From the very beginning, Irene’s motto was to “share the wealth.”
“If I had a 5kg bag of rice, I would repack 3kg for the food drawer. My friends and family also chipped in,” she said.
As movement restrictions eased, the food bank project went mobile.
Her team placed stickers on their cars with contact numbers, so anyone who needed assistance could reach them.
“At any given time, each of us had five bags of groceries, which included rice, potatoes, onions, garlic, salt, sugar, tea leaves and cooking oil.
“Sometimes, people would stop us at traffic lights and we were glad to help them,” she said.
The initiative soon shifted to delivering food packages, which proved a lifeline for those who were homebound.
Although focused in Negri Sembilan, these care packages filled with groceries and essential items crossed state lines too like Selangor.
Nowadays, regular food deliveries number fewer than 10 households per month.
Irene said she aims to help lower-income families become self-sustaining.
“Our goal has never been to create dependence. We’re here to help people stand on their feet.
“We help them find jobs, including as gardeners and cleaners, to help them earn a living,” she said, adding that some beneficiaries have opened small businesses.
Festive seasons remain the busiest time for Irene and her team of 13 committee members and 60 regular volunteers.
On the eve of major celebrations, the NGO delivers packages with fresh produce including chicken and vegetables, dry ingredients like dried chillies and lentils, and biscuits to almost 200 needy households.
Fortunately, there are always people who are willing to help donate food, pack and deliver groceries. Volunteers come from across the state and are of different backgrounds.
Yet, everyone is united in one mission – to lend a hand to their fellow human beings.
Irene and her team also respond to urgent requests for baby formula from struggling parents to diapers for the terminally ill.
Every appeal is vetted, and then shared through the NGO’s Facebook page and volunteer network.
“Recently, I posted a request for funds to buy corrective spectacles for a young girl with vision issues and within 10 minutes, we raised more than what was needed.”
The true power of community was also on full display during two medical camps for Orang Asli communities in Kampung Tekir and Bukit Galena.
Her daughter Dr Edwina Hisham and several doctors were among those who provided free health checks.
With support from Yayasan ECM Libra and Epsom College, the NGO also built two toilets for an Orang Asli community of 11 families near Bukit Galena.
The Ipoh native said helping people was truly humbling.
“I always tell people to just give what they can. Every RM5 or RM10 adds up. Everyone can contribute whether it’s a bag of rice, their time or their energy,” she said.
Irene also hopes to secure enough funds to run a food kitchen and a halfway home for the needy.
Meanwhile, the Star Golden Hearts Award (SGHA) returns for the 11th edition to honour everyday Malaysians whose compassion and selflessness have made a lasting impact on others.
With McDonald’s Malaysia as the new strategic partner, SGHA is poised to broaden its reach and deepen its impact nationwide.
This year also marks the debut of the McDonald’s Caring Hearts Award – a special recognition honouring individuals or grassroots groups whose heartfelt acts of kindness have uplifted lives in profound and lasting ways.
Since its inception in 2015, SGHA has honoured over 100 individuals and organisations whose efforts have inspired action, transformed lives and strengthened communities nationwide.
