In conjunction with Chinese New Year 2021, the ASEAN Retail-Chains & Franchise Federation (ARFF) and SME Association of Malaysia have launched a ‘Pandemic CSR fundraising campaign’ to aid old folks’ homes, orphanages, assisted living facilities for the disabled, shelter homes, and NGOs that are facing a critical shortage of funds because of the MCO 2.0 and its further extension (at least till 4 March 2021). As these facilities and centers look towards shutting down, the two associations responded immediately with the ‘Pandemic CSR fundraising campaign’ to raise RM300,000 or more to help these centers survive and sustain these troubling times.
Due to the shortage of food, medical supplies, funds for rental and operational expenses, these welfare centers are at the brink of seizing their operations and are turning to these associations and the community for help; should these centers close down, these unfortunate people will be forced to the streets. ARFF, an association that promotes and supports the retail and franchise sector in Malaysia and the ASEAN region is in collaboration with the SME Association of Malaysia that focuses on helping small and medium-sized enterprise businesses in Malaysia, to do their part in encouraging entrepreneurs to donate to this cause and help these centers make it through this critical situation.
“We believe that during the MCO 2.0, these welfare centers are severely affected because donors cannot reach the centers for donation. That is why we have discussed and come out with the idea together with Datuk Michael Kang (National President of SME Association of Malaysia), to launch this ‘Pandemic CSR fundraising campaign’. I take this opportunity to humbly invite entrepreneurs and the rakyat of Malaysia to come together and participate in this campaign to help these welfare centers during these critical times,” said Dato’ Mike Loh, President of ARFF.
The funds raised through the ‘Pandemic CSR fundraising campaign’ will be directed towards welfare centers located in the Klang Valley before expanding to other states and areas. As of this moment, the associations have approached the Ministry of Women, Family, and Community Development (KPWKM) with a proposal requesting their support in the ‘Pandemic CSR fundraising campaign’ and are awaiting their response. KPWKM’s involvement would greatly amplify the extent of what ARFF and the SME Association of Malaysia can do to help these struggling welfare centers, which require an average of about RM22,500 a month to survive.
Several welfare centers have just received funds from the ‘Pandemic CSR fundraising campaign’ throughout the first 5 days of CNY. Among them are:
- Pertubuhan Pusat Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak Cacat Shan Dai Selangor
- Pertubuhan Kebajikan Orang Tua Cacat dan Kurang Upaya Taman Connaught
- Persatuan Kebajikan Wen Hua
- Pertubuhan Kebajikan Rumah Impian OKU Kuala Lumpur
- Pertubuhan Kebajikan Warga Emas Kenang Budi Kuala Lumpur
- Persatuan Kebajikan Kanak-Kanak Angels Kuala Lumpur
- Pertubuhan Penganut Bodhiksetra Vihara
- Xiao Xin Serdang old folks’ home
- Persatuan Kebajikan OKU Hati Berganda Selangor
- Persatuan Kebajikan Rasa Sayang Selangor
“We believe that Malaysians will come together to support and contribute to the ‘Pandemic CSR fundraising campaign’ because of their kind-hearted nature, as we have seen many times before. These welfare centers need us now more than ever, and they look to us, the community, to survive during this MCO 2.0. The SME Association of Malaysia and ARFF will continue to do all in our capabilities to ensure the sustainability of these welfare homes,” said Datuk Michael Kang, President of the SME Association of Malaysia.
Join us to play an important role. Donors are very much encouraged to donate: PERSATUAN PENGUSAHA KECIL DAN SEDERHANA MALAYSIA – OCBC BANK 7081016783. Kindly send us a copy of your transfer slip via Whatsapp number as SME Malaysia 017-669-7231 or ARFF 016-207-7802. Thank you.
