Carrying loads of dry food and essential items, 20 volunteers from the Malaysian Youth Council (MYC) braved the heavy rain and inhospitable weather to deliver the goods to flood victims in Gua Musang, Kelantan, today.
One of them, Shanaz Fitry Mohd Shah, MYC’s project coordinator, took off at noon with a three-tonne lorry laden with instant noodles, blankets and sanitary pads, among other items badly needed by flood victims, hoping that the road to Gua Musang would be accessible for their group of 20 people.
“We wanted to go to Kuala Krai but we were told by our contact person that the situation there was really bad and there was no way we would be able to get in. The only access road that we could use is through Gua Musang,” said Shanaz
it to the targeted areas,” he said.
This is the second trip for the team. Last week they went to several areas in four flood-stricken states to distribute goods.
“We collect as much as we can and try to deliver the items as fast as we can,” he said.
The group is currently recruiting more volunteers to participate in a larger-scale humanitarian effort.
They need 400 volunteers to be deployed to the affected areas.
The call for help came in a simple message: “No t-shirt, no cap, no allowance. Lodging will be with the flood victims and meals will be the same as what the victims have.”
The group offers no incentive for joining the relief effort, except transportation to the locations.
“We want sincere volunteers. People who want nothing in return for helping the needy,” said Shanaz, expressing confidence he could get the number.
He said those who could not be with the victims but still wanted to help could donate cash or goods by contacting the group’s office at tel: 03-22829648 or 012-6813488, or make payment to its Maybank account under “Gerakan Belia 4B Malaysia – Relief fund”, account no. 014329215269.
Another youth group helping the flood victims is the Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia (YBAM), which launched its donation drive today and mobilised its members nationwide.
YBAM is an umbrella body of 270 Buddhist associations, with members numbering in the hundreds of thousands.
“We have our people nationwide and we have informed the associations under us about the donation drive and plea for all to contribute for the cause,” said its president, Goh Qing Song, who said the donation drive will end on January 17.
“You can donate whatever amount you can. There is no limit or minimum amount. We accept even RM1,” said Goh.
He said the relief fund is in line with Buddhist teaching, to help one another and those in need.
Those wishing to donate can bank-in their contributions to YBAM’s Maybank account no. 512231-313546, or make cheques payable to “Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia”, and indicate “Flood Relief Fund” on the back of the cheques.
The public can contact YBAM at tel: 03-78049154/9157. – December 26, 2014.
– See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/youth-group-braves-bad-weather-to-send-aid-to-flood-victims#sthash.Qp9FfQ0f.dpuf
