IPOH, Feb 3 — With the Covid-19 pandemic not showing signs of slowing down, more people are reaching out to organisations for help to survive.
One such organisation attending to the needy in Ipoh is Pertubuhan Amal Ai Xin Fan Tong.
Adviser Kat W. Wong said since the first movement control order (MCO) that came into effect in March 2020, the organisation had been giving out food baskets to the poor.
“During the first MCO, we managed to raise some RM15,000 cash for the exercise.”
“From that, we prepared some 500 sets of food baskets for distribution.”
Speaking to Malay Mail, Wong said the organisation distributed food baskets four times last year.
“Initially, we decided to have the distribution exercise only once as it was difficult to raise money.”
“But there were people who would continuously call us, saying that they had run out of food and we could not turn them away.”
In conjunction with Chinese New Year, the organisation will distribute food baskets to the needy.
“This time, we managed to raise some RM80,000 and we plan to prepare 2,000 sets of food baskets for distribution.”
While the exact date of distribution has yet to be confirmed, Wong said it would be carried out during the lunar month of January after the 15th day of Chinese New Year.
Besides food baskets, the organisation also gives out free food to the poor.
According to the organisation’s co-ordinator Moke Yit Wing, Ai Xin Fan Tong gives out 1,120 food packets daily from Monday to Friday.
“Our delivery starts at 3.30pm,” he said, adding that the delivery route covers Pasir Pinji, Pasir Puteh, Buntong, Menglembu, First Garden, Taman Cempaka, Kampung Simee, Gunung Rapat, Kampung Tawas and Bercham.
Moke said the organisation initially cooked and let the poor eat in at the organisation.
“But since the enforcement of MCO, we turned to delivery instead,” he said, adding that the organisation used two cars and one motorcycle for delivery.
Moke said when the organisation started to cook for the poor in 2016, it prepared food for more than 100 people.
“But gradually the demand increased. The numbers increased exponentially during MCO,” he said, adding that the organisation depended on 18 volunteers and a monthly cost of RM30,000 for its five-day operation.
“Our food packets normally have one meat and two vegetable dishes,” he said, adding that they use 80 kilogrammes of pork, 87 birds of poultry and 1 kilogram of fish every week.
For those wanting to donate cash or food to the organisation, please contact Moke (012-5068884).
