FOODBANK: THE REALITY OF CHARITY

Many of us are well aware of almari rezeki, gobok sedekah and other form of foodbank in our area. The cupboard that was filled-in with food for those in need to beat hunger and poverty, to make sure food are available to be access. And readily source of food always available. Food banks play a crucial role in eliminating food waste, sourcing large amounts of food and making it available to smaller, local food shelves and food pantries.

But, how often that we ourselves contributed to this form of charity?

In Malaysia, foodbank was most famous in early 2000s. This is when the conciousness of charity soaring high, and most places like mosque, church and other organisations started to provide this cupboard full of food. And you name it, with various name and offers are made to provide food without string attached.

As mentioned, in the early 2000s, there's emergence of charitable organizations and NGOs in Malaysia began focusing on addressing poverty and hunger. These organizations often worked on collecting surplus food from donors and distributing it to those in need. And there's also individuals that are working on giving and helping to make foodbank works.

During the 2010s, the concept of food banking became more formalized in Malaysia. Various NGOs and foundations started establishing structured programs to collect, store, and distribute surplus food to vulnerable communities.

Food Aid Foundation (FAF):

The Food Aid Foundation, established in 2011, is one of the prominent organizations in Malaysia dedicated to rescuing surplus food and distributing it to those facing food insecurity. FAF collaborates with businesses, individuals, and other organizations to address food waste and hunger.

Collaboration with Businesses:

Many food banks in Malaysia collaborate with businesses, including supermarkets, restaurants, and food producers, to rescue surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. This collaborative approach helps in the efficient redistribution of food to those in need.

Government Support:

The Malaysian government has also recognized the importance of addressing food waste and food insecurity. Efforts have been made to encourage collaboration between the government, NGOs, and businesses to develop effective strategies in tackling these issues.

Community Involvement:

Community-based initiatives, often organized by religious institutions, community centers, and non-profit organizations, have played a role in addressing local food insecurity issues. Some of these initiatives may operate in a manner similar to food banks.

News: NSTP, November 5, 2020 

'A total of 622,726 households have benefitted from the Community Food Bank Programme as of last month.

Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Rosol Wahid told Dewan Rakyat that the assistance involved households from the B40 and extreme poor categories such as residents at low-cost housing areas, victims of disasters and others.

"The programme had also successfully saved and benefitted from 2,310 metric tonnes of leftover food, estimated to be worth RM11.51 million," he said.

He said this in reply to a question by Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad (Pakatan Harapan-Setiawangsa) who asked on the effectiveness, success, and challenges of the food bank programme in Malaysia to date.' - (New Strait Times Press, 2019)

In Universiti Selangor, specifically in our faculty, we are also striving hard to ensure the students that in need have the access to our faculty's foodbank which was established after the pandemic in May 2022.

Foodbank FKSH

As foodbank relies heavily on donations from organisation and individual, it has to be supported in ensuring that it stays relevant.

What can you do?

In the effort to make the foodbank able to help students in need. These are few example of what can be done:

👉Make a financial donation to your local food bank on their website, so they can buy what they need.

👉Add items to your online supermarket shop (where available) to send directly to the food bank.

👉Host a collection for your local food bank at your school, mosque, church or business.

 

 👉Drop off at collection points in supermarkets across the country.

And there's so many ways in making this happen in our faculty and our community.

Perhaps a little nudge, will make this foodbank continue giving hope and combust hungers.

This articles was written by,

Nazahiyah Sulaiman.
Lecturer,
Science & Biotechnology Department
Faculty Of Engineering and Life Sciences