IN conjunction with International Autism Day and the holy month of Ramadan, 7-Eleven Malaysia, the largest 24-hour standalone convenience store operator placed orders for delicious “breaking of fast” food packs prepared by the Autism Café, which were then subsequently distributed together with NGOHub Asia to three orphanages namely, Yayasan Noor Manzil, Rumah Amal Budi Bistari and Rumah Anak Yatim & Asnaf Nur Sakinah, bringing joy to more than 80 underprivileged children and their caretakers.
Autism Café is an initiative by the Autism Cafe Project (ACP) which aims to provide youths with autism an opportunity to be independent and to generate income. From food preparation to serving customers, the youths at Autism Café run the café under the supervision of the founder, Mohd Adli Yahya.
7-Eleven Malaysia and NGOhub teams visited the three homes where tasty meals consisting of nasi tomato with ayam masak merah and tempeh, kuih seri muka, dates, and lemonade as well as goodie bags containing essentials were safely distributed to the respective caretakers.
7-Eleven Malaysia’s General Manager of Marketing, Ronan Lee, said: “Since International Autism Day falls in the month of April, we wanted to do something to while celebrating the holy month of Ramadan. It is an honour to be able to support the underprivileged and often-forgotten community surrounding us. We are glad to have been able to bring some joy to the recipients of Yayasan Noor Manzil, Rumah Amal Budi Bistari, and Rumah Anak Yatim & Asnaf Nur Sakinah while being able to contribute to the continued independence of the youths of Autism Cafe and we hope that our philanthropic efforts will raise further awareness on the noble initiatives carried out by our beneficiaries as well as their needs.”
Yayasan Noor Manzil is a home in Puchong for children from ages 6 months to 15 years. Founded to provide a place where Muslim children can find shelter and comfort, the home currently hosts 12 children, and has sheltered a total of 52 children since it was established 15 years ago.
Sulaiman Ismail, administrator at Yayasan Noor Manzil, said: “It is challenging to take care of our children as many of them have experienced trauma in the past and require additional care and attention. A million thanks to 7-Eleven Malaysia and NGOhub for bringing a smile to our children’s faces. We always welcome help from the public. If there are others who would like to aid our home, we are currently looking for funds to replace a 9-year-old van that we use to transport our children.”
Founded in 2016, Rumah Anak Yatim & Asnaf Nur Sakinah shelters orphans between 3 and 6 years old. At the moment, the home hosts 20 boys, 15 girls, and 5 caretakers, and is looking for a new place to relocate to as the current rented location will be sold soon.
Syafiyah Azmi of Rumah Anak Yatim & Asnaf Nur Sakinah, said: “We would like to express our gratitude to 7-Eleven Malaysia and NGOhub. The kids thoroughly enjoyed their meal and some of them even saved leftovers for breakfast. There’s nothing we want more than them feeling loved and truly cared for. It is truly heartwarming to see the smile on their faces and we are humbled by the generous contribution from 7-Eleven.”
Also located in Shah Alam, Rumah Amal Budi Bistari, currently operates with 3 helpers and hosts 30 underprivileged boys from 7 to 9 years old.
All three homes welcome contribution from society and is particularly seeking for monetary funds, food, and household items. For more information on how to support them, contact Yayasan Noor Manzil (+6012 307 3786), Rumah Amal Budi Bistari (+6 013 248 3969), Rumah Anak Yatim & Asnaf Nur Sakinah (+6018 319 1241) and Autism Café (+6012 349 0813) or visit their websites.
