Hailing from Ipoh, Loh Pui Ying and her mother have been creating positive impact in their community by volunteering to cook for the poor and homeless. When the Movement Control Order begun, she noticed that many homeless people had difficulty gaining access to basic needs.

Realising that hunger is one of the many harsh realities faced by the less fortunate people especially during this pandemic, Pui Ying and her mother determined to do something to help them. Learning about her story from Pui Ying’s neighbour, a State Assemblyman later contacted her and decided to fully subsidise her food programme.

Cooking about 90 meals each day can be tiring. But when they think about how a simple meal can light up another person’s life, Pui Ying and her mother feel gratified that their volunteer work of serving food with kindness is also spreading the light of hope in their community.

She recalls the words of SGI President Ikeda who said, “What our society today needs more than anything is the spirit of empathy—the ability to put ourselves in the shoes of those who are facing hardship and suffering, to understand and share what they are going through. When the spirit of compassion becomes the bedrock of society, and is embodied by society’s leaders, the future will be bright with hope.”