PETALING JAYA: A little bit of creativity coupled with a huge sense of responsibility and a lot of compassion led Adora Yusuf to help the poor and the vulnerable in the city.
The lawyer said she stumbled upon Need to Feed the Need (NFN), a soup kitchen, on social media three years ago.
She found satisfaction in community service after completing a usual day in legal work. But at first, she admits she felt quite overwhelmed.
“It was daunting knowing that some 300 people depend on us ... a huge responsibility,” she said.
But it was the public perception of the poor that ignited the fire in her belly.
“It is easy to avoid stigma. And in this case, people were saying that the poor are lazy. It’s a form of thinking of the privileged,” Adora believes.
At NFN, she said they have a “No Questions Asked” policy, that has stopped discrimination and the stigmatising of people. They literally does not ask their patrons any questions.
“But we’re more than just a soup kitchen,” Adora said. “We want them (the poor) to see that NFN is a safe place for all.“I have experienced many heart-wrenching incidents involving an old sick uncle, the elderly and an abandoned aunty, the lonely and withdrawn kids,” she added.
“There was this one patron who used to come by the soup kitchen. He’d come alone and we learned that he just recovered from a stroke. One night, he came dressed so smartly, in a buttoned-down shirt with a backpack and a walking stick,” Adora recalls.
After a couple of visits Adora said he opened up.
“I learned that he was a former teacher and when he has extra money, he would go to a cyber cafe to read the news online.
“It was okay for people to give him money and free food but it was important for him to keep learning and gain knowledge.”
Adora also recalled an elderly lady who would always give her a handful of sweets.
“She does the same to other NFN crew.”
Adora remembers going through a rough patch as a child. She is grateful it did not follow her into adulthood.
“I have seen troubled times growing up, when my father’s business was not doing well, and we (family) didn’t have enough money for food. I still remember my mother digging into her purse for coins to buy fish for her four children.
“But we were blessed to have supportive family members who helped us.
“From what I’ve seen at NFN, not everyone is as lucky as I am, to have family, friends, any support of any kind. There are some who are alone out there, with no money, no job and no food,” she said.
NFN has made her come to understand that we are “all in this together”.
