The refugee community in Malaysia has especially taken a hard hit with the MCO leaving them struggling to even put food on the table.
Dr Ng Oi Leng, Education Director of ElShaddai Centre Bhd, an NGO which helps displaced communities in Malaysia, tells FMT that the situation has affected the refugee and migrant communities here badly as most are daily wage earners.
“Those whose employers previously provided them with lodging have lost their shelter due to business closures.
Many refugees and migrants are unable to settle the rent and not all property owners are willing to defer or waive the rent for them,” she explains.
Many NGOs have reached out to the refugee communities by providing food during these tough times. In return, the refugees are volunteering their time and skills to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) and prepare hot meals for frontliners.
“The Afghan community wanted to find a way to give back to the frontliners. We discovered that the community consists of skilful tailors and came up with the idea to put their skills to good use by producing PPEs for hospitals and clinics,” says Dr Ng.
About 700 sets of PPE have already been produced and distributed by NGOs to medical personnel and Dr Ng hopes that more will be produced in the next few months to further help frontliners battle the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
ElShaddai Centre Bhd is also in partnership with the Hazara Women Empowerment Centre (HRWE) located in Ampang.
HRWE aims to empower the refugee community by providing English classes and functions as a learning centre for pre-primary students.
Marzia Parsa, who is the leader of HRWE is an Afghan refugee herself. A single mother, she fled to Malaysia two and a half years ago.
She cooks and delivers free lunches daily for medical personnel at Ampang Hospital. “I have been cooking traditional Afghan dishes for medical staff because I would very much like to give back to those who have been working hard in the fight against Covid-19.
“Malaysians have been very kind and supportive to refugees. They have helped me personally and my community so much so that this is a small gesture to show my respect and thankfulness to them,” Marzia says.