By Nor Zakiah Senin
“Creating Meaningful Change” — the motto of Yayasan SALAM Malaysia — fills every corner of our volunteers’ spirit, dedication, and hope. It is a double-edged blessing: meaningful change for the recipients, and meaningful change for the volunteers themselves.
Recipients gain from the activities carried out, while volunteers sharpen their human skills and draw lessons that guide their own lives.
Thus, Sinar Ramadan 2026 was brought to life at PPR Lembah Subang 2, Selangor, on 7 March 2026. Nearly 70 volunteers joined hands, giving their time and energy.
The programme offered a range of activities for the community, especially persons with disabilities (OKU) and the asnaf (poor and needy). Essential food items—rice, cooking oil, eggs, flour, noodles, sugar, biscuits, milk, soy sauce, syrup or cordial, and tea — were packed and distributed to 100 selected families, carefully chosen from among 2,500 households across the five blocks of PPR Lembah Subang 2.
The day began early at 10 a.m. with the packing of food supplies, followed by their distribution at 11.30 a.m. Volunteers often faced challenges: faulty lifts, long waits, and the need to climb stairs in the searing heat of the day while fasting.
Yet their perseverance, dedication, and hope carried them through. Life, after all, is rarely smooth —strength in adversity builds resilience, and its currency is not money but the fortitude of the soul.
The distribution ended at noon, but resumed at 5.30 p.m. for 23 visually impaired families. Volunteers, still undeterred, delivered the supplies to each home.
Meanwhile, others prepared dishes for iftar (breaking of fast) and moreh (Ramadan night snack), guided by the resident chefs, Puan Mazura Mat Zen, Puan Fitriani Baharom and Puan Nor Azfa Rizan Shaharuddin, who are also committee members of Persatuan Penduduk Blok D, toiling almost tirelessly from 10 a.m. till 7.00 p.m.
From spiced fried chicken and sambal belacan to bihun soup and traditional kuih, the menu was rich, even mischievously so — five types of drinks tested the patience of those fasting.
To add more life and colour to the event, several children’s competitions were held on making kuih ondeh-ondeh, storytelling, memorisation, and the call to prayer.
At first, their shyness held them back, but with encouragement from the residents and volunteers, 50 children, aged 7 to 14, came forward to receive prizes sponsored by generous donors.
At 6.30 p.m., a visually impaired speaker, Puan Nur Sharifah Jahan, shared her journey — how to live with limitations, stay positive, accept destiny, and invite empathy from the able-bodied.
At 7 p.m., a short tazkirah (sermon) followed, then a tahlil (prayer recital) led by young students from IPG Bangi.
Volunteers then joined in the Maghrib, Isyak, and Tarawih prayers at Surau Al-Muhajirin, closing the day with keropok lekor at 11 p.m.
All in all, the Lembah Subang 2 Sinar Ramadan programme was a success, strengthened by the presence of Yayasan SALAM trustees and partners. The outreach event received tremendous support and encouragement from Datuk Yong Soo Heong and Datuk Mior Kamarulbaid, the two Trustees of Yayasan SALAM Malaysia; Mr Naeem Khan, Managing Director of Philip Morris Malaysia and his team of enthusiastic volunteers, and Encik Muhammad Fudhail Razak, Adviser to Kelab Sukarelawan IPG Kampus Pengajian Islam, Bangi, Selangor and its hardworking volunteers. An almost similar effort was also undertaken in Muar, Johor, for the needy by Philip Morris Malaysia in collaboration with Yayasan SALAM Malaysia.
Naeem, in his short speech at Lembah Subang 2, stressed the significance of providing help and support during the holy month of Ramadan, where he said that the blessings received by those who help others would usually become manifold.
Yong also recited a short Malay pantun to reflect the occasion:
“Di Lembah Subang 2 indah berseri,
Bantuan datang, gembiralah hati
Ramadan tiba, saatnya berbagi,
Seribu kenangan, dalam bulan suci”
Ultimately, when NGOs, sponsors, residents, and volunteers combine their dedication with compassion, the impact is profound.
May the spirit of volunteerism, empathy, and sharing continue to flourish — not only as seasonal charity, but as a guiding principle for us all: to do good, to cherish togetherness, and to ensure no one is left behind.
(My reflections on volunteerism, a principle close to my heart, are also contained in my book Suka Rela Sukar Lawan, published by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in 2024.)
— Nor Zakiah Senin, is a lead volunteer with Yayasan SALAM Malaysia, an NGO dedicated to volunteerism for over 30 years.