KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 29 ― It is only when we are in someone’s shoes will we know what they are going through.
With that in mind, I hatched the idea of going homeless for 36 hours.
I had become weary of all the negativity on Facebook. Nothing seemed right. Everyone would come out with guns blazing about every issue. It was not a nice scene. There were toxic remarks and people hammering each other over every little matter.
I had to do something meaningful before I got dragged into the quicksand. So the idea of going homeless went on my bucket list and I wanted to do it as soon as possible.
I approached the seniors in charity group We Love We Care We Share and they were receptive to the idea.
It would be a two-pronged approach to raise funds for the less fortunate and to create awareness on the plight of the homeless. It was then decided that this would be done in conjunction with my 55th birthday yesterday and a target of collecting RM5,000 was set.
The project was announced on Facebook on October 23, less than five weeks before I went homeless on Tuesday. We were not sure if there would be enough time to hit the target.
But what happened after that surprised everyone. We hit RM6,000 on the first day.
We had already collected more than RM12,000 by November 20. It is heart-warming to know there are many generous people around.
This project, however, was not all about money. It was also to raise awareness, and Malay Mail decided to do its part with today’s reports. Besides, it has been a fulfilling experience for me.
It made me realise how little we actually do for the less fortunate because we don’t have any personal links to them. We are more compassionate and caring and even over-react when those we know are involved.
From the day the project was announced, I received so much advice and friends expressed concern over my safety and kept asking if I was sure I wanted to go through with it.
They kept asking me how I would survive on RM5.50 for 36 hours.
I was given tips on what to bring — handphone, raincoat, mosquito coil, jacket, blanket, bedsheet, etc. Some even suggested I make a police report to protect myself.
I was overwhelmed by the flood of advice and felt thankful I had such good friends who were concerned about my well-being.
It was not a camping trip. I wanted the genuine homeless experience and turned down most of the suggestions. I am glad I did.
My wish is that we wake up and realise what the homeless face day in day out, not just for a mere 36 hours. If there can be so much concern when it involves someone you know, we can certainly channel this concern to the real deserving ones in the streets.
Some friends saluted me and called me a hero. You become a hero by living like the homeless for 36 hours? The heroes are out there living in the streets, long after I have been back in the arms of my loved ones in the comfort of my home.
The few homeless people I spoke to during my stint all had similar traits ― just like the rest of us. They have ambitions too. They want to get a job and build their lives, get married and have proper homes. But they can’t do it on their own.
They need help. Just providing food or some monetary assistance is not going to be enough. They need guidance, counselling and advice. They need jobs, family and friends.
I must also salute the soup kitchens which are doing a great job in providing sustenance to the less fortunate. I was a happy beneficiary of their efforts and realise the big role they play to let the homeless cling on to their hopes and dreams.
Thirty-six hours is not much but it is enough to realise homelessness is not just about not having a roof over one’s head. It is about poverty, unemployment and loneliness.
We have to wake up, open our eyes and focus on the right people and right issues.
