For as long as Abdah Hashim could remember, she has been helping people in need, even when she was in deep waters.
The twice widowed 58-year-old odd-job worker lives alone with a heart condition, yet almost every month, she and her group of volunteers will organise the list of recipients in need of assistance, assist in the arrangment for the delivery of supplies and ensure that distribution to these groups is done in an orderly manner.
“I don’t think that it is very difficult to help people. I don’t think so much. When people ask for help, I help where I can,” said Abdah who lost her husband five months ago.
A survivor of domestic abuse, Abdah resides in a public housing project in the Klang Valley, Over time, she has built trust and relationships with a group of women in each apartment block who help her identify households in desperate need of food items.
“I divorced my first husband 14 years ago because he beat me and made me a guarantor to his debt of RM1.3mil. I had a period of ‘down time’ , but eventually, I picked myself up,” she said in Bahasa Malaysia.
According to Abdah, her children were her biggest inspiration, as she wanted them to surpass her. While her children are now grown ups, Abdah lost her only son four years ago to a sudden unexpected death.
“I had support from my siblings and parents to get through the difficult times and I am thankful for them,” said Abdah who was born and bred in Kuala Lumpur.
Despite all the hardship and challenges life has thrown at her, Abdah remains grateful for the help she has received and quickly got back on her feet to aid those in need.
“I started doing aid distribution work in this housing area since 2004. Over time, I found like-minded people and we came together. We are not part of any organization, just volunteers willing to spare time to help when donors contribute.
“Whenever people tell us they are providing food, we would conduct background checks and prepare the list of names. When donors specify conditions for beneficiaries, we do our best to comply,” said Abdah.
Abdah’s late father was an active member of a political party who played an instrumental role in shaping her character and instilling in her a strong sense of social responsibility.
“I remember following my father going from house to house, visiting those who were sick and disabled, making applications to use a hall, badminton courts and more.
“When I was older and learned how to write, I was filling up forms for others to be submitted to the welfare department,” she recalled.
Later when she got married and had to work to support her three children, people would still leave forms at her house and she would attend to these matters after a long day at work.
“Most of the time, people who come to me really need help and helping them to fill up forms for aid is the least I could do, so it is not a chore,” said Abdah who only has a secondary school education.
On days of aid distribution, Abdah would arrive early at the basketball court of her housing project with her volunteers to go through the name list. Each volunteer is responsible for calling out names from the listed to collect their food aid. Abdah, who sent all her children to Chinese schools, picked up Mandarin and can be seen speaking in a mix of Mandarin and Malay to ensure everyone was in line.
In addition to aid distribution, Abdah has also organized skills-building classes for the B40.
“Once, the Petaling Jaya City Council approached us to find participants to sew recycled bags from old canvas that were used as promotional material. Another time, I had to find people to attend a class that taught them how to make yellow noodles.
“I find these classes really useful because people are taught a skill which enables them to generate income,” said Abdah.
Abdah also admitted that in the course of helping people, she also encountered skepticism from community members who spread lies about her when expectations are not met.
“When people fill up a welfare form, they expect that they will receive aid but not everyone receives aid. I do not decide who the government helps. Then they blame me, suspecting that I did not fill up the form properly for them,” she said.
“But, I will still do my best for people, to do what is right because only God can judge me,” said Abdah.
Believing that God knows best, Abdah has never let the naysayers affect her and continues to serve the community with compassion. – Christine Cheah
