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| Good deed: Kami Prihatin (We Care) project manager Wang Wee Foong (left) who is also the student council vice-president II helping to distribute meals to students from poor families at a hostel in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang. — ZAINUDIN AHAD/The Star |
A recent survey by the Muslim Volunteer Malaysia
Association of some 26,000 students in six public universities also revealed
shocking facts.
More than half of the respondents said they could
set aside only RM5 a day for meals while many were living on instant noodles or
ate only plain rice with one fried egg and soy sauce.
Some student bodies have devised creative
programmes to help feed students who struggle to pay for three square meals a
day.
Most of the programmes revolve around the
“suspended meal” concept, where financially able students pay in advance for
extra food, to be given to students in need.
One example is the “Project Suspended Meals 2.0”
programme, managed by the student council of the International Islamic
University Malaysia, which began last Dec 21.
Under the programme, a customer buys a coupon worth
RM2 or RM4, and then pastes it on the board for students to claim later.
Meal coupons were also recently introduced for
students of Universiti Malaya in a collaborative effort between the Muslim
Undergraduates Association and the Darul Hijrah Foundation.
“Coupon for the Needs” began on Jan 7, and five
zones will be open for students to get the coupons.
“A student has to call the programme representative
based on the zone they are in, collect the coupons at the cafe counters, and
enjoy their meals,” said the foundation’s Facebook page.
“Each coupon is worth RM4 and the menu has been
fixed through an understanding with the cafe operators.”
Over at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), the
Srikandi Putra group of female students ran the “April Food” programme.
A free food giveaway concept inspired by Dapur
Jalanan – which feeds the homeless in Kuala Lumpur – April Food fed 150
students when it was first carried out in April last year.
UPM students also run the #FreeshopUPM programme,
where they offer free food to needy students on selected days, and also call on
fellow students to donate to the cause.
Meanwhile, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia
launched a food and welfare aid programme last September. Through it, 220 of
its needy students were given aid throughout their course duration.
“Financial aid of RM300 to RM400 a month will be given to eligible
students for each year of the course, while the food aid will be continued from
time to time, depending on the funds generated,” said its website
