Epic Homes
Epic Homes is a Malaysian-based NGO that provides sustainable and safe homes for the poorest. The organization’s goal is to build relationships between the rural and the urban divides by building homes for underprivileged communities. Currently, Epic Homes is focused on building homes for the Orang Asli, the indigenous people of Peninsular Malaysia.
Epic Homes mobilizes and empowers ordinary citizens to reach a common goal of building an Epic home for a family in need. Building a house usually takes three days and requires around 30 volunteers followed by the construction specialists. The houses are built in accordance with the UN guideline to fit the needs of Orang Asli families by taking care of their environment and traditions. By building homes for underprivileged, the Epic Homes contributes to improving the health, livelihoods and learning of local communities in Malaysia.
SOLS 24/7
SOLS 24/7 is an NGO established with a vision that “people from all communities, regardless of race, religion or gender, will have access to education and social empowerment services, resulting in developed societies with equal opportunities for all’’. Its mission is to develop underserved and poor communities through implementation of social empowerment programs and holistic education.
The organization implements a variety of free social empowerment and education programs targeting underserved communities to develop their potentials and, in this way, break the cycles of poverty. So far, the SOLS 24/7 has trained over 400.000 students, established over 100 training centers and employs over 200 full-time staff from more than 50 countries.
Free Tree Society
Free Tree Society is an environmental NGO that spreads the environmental stewardship message by giving away free trees to green the Earth. So far, the organization has given away over 34.450 trees and other plants to schools, marginalized communities, homeowners, wildlife habitats and community gardens to encourage biodiversity and proliferate planting.
Free Tree Society engages in the programs of waste management, rainwater harvesting, biodiversity and gardening. It promotes the implementation of the UN instruments and sustainable development goals, including environmental issues, climate change, and responsible consumption and production.
Mercy Malaysia
Mercy Malaysia is an NGO with a vision ‘’of being outstanding in the delivery of medical and humanitarian aid to all’’. Its goal is to ensure accountable and quality services in accordance with international standards and regulations of international organizations to which it is a signatory. The organization provides medical relied, sustainable health-related development and risk reduction activities for vulnerable communities in both non-crisis and crisis situations.
Besides providing the medical relief, the Mercy Malaysia also provides mental and psychosocial support to affected communities, as well as water, sanitation and hygiene programs within the scope of its relief operations. Last, but not least, the organization implements the disaster risk reduction programs to protect communities from hazards and minimize their vulnerability to disaster risks.
EcoKnights
EcoKnights was established in 2005 with a goal to work with key stakeholders to empower and drive sustainable actions for a better planet. The core activities of this NGO revolve around sustainable community development through policy advocacy, corporate partnerships, youth volunteerism and fundraising.
EcoKnights cooperates closely with authorities to achieve environmental justice. It works on building more resilient and stronger youth who will fight for climate action and encourages creation of communities that are sustainable, independent and able to contribute back to the environment. Thus, to fulfill these missions, the EcoKnights uses mainstreaming of the concept of sustainability through strategic and effective communications in Malaysia.
Yellow House
Yellow House is a grassroots community NGO dedicated to improving lives to be more sustainable for homeless people, refugee communities and urban poor, specifically in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. The idea behind establishing the Yellow House came when a group of individuals wanted to give back to society and provide continuous help to those who are pushed to the margins of the society.
The organization promotes social impact and volunteerism and so far, it has uplifted more than 100 lives. It executes the transformative sustainable approach by addressing social issues through social innovation. One of the most interesting projects of the Yellow House is the Unseen Tours of KL through which it provides an employment opportunity to the urban poor, to earn living as tourists guides.
Elom Empowerment
Elom Empowerment is a Malaysian NGO that was established with a mission to ‘’empower the refugees to stand on their own’’ and a vision to ‘’educate, empower and provide economic sustainability through specially designed educational and vocational programs’’.
According to Elom Empowerment, there are around 200.000 Rohingya refugees currently living in Malaysia. To respond to their needs, the organization has built the ELOM Community Center with a goal to provide refugees with life skills through various empowerment programs. The ultimate goal of the organization is to provide refugees with means to reach their full potential and become active members of society.
SUKA Society
SUKA Society was established to preserve and protect the best interests of children and ensure their survival, participation and development. The NGO provides community development programs for children and their families and conducts training programs for children and all people who, in some way, encounter children.
SUKA Society works to ensure that all children, especially those found in crisis such as trafficking and detention, receive just and fair treatment, as well as have access to appropriate care. It constantly looks for mechanisms to improve access to education and developmental programs of marginalized children and encourages self-initiated projects amongst children and young people.
MyKasih
MyKasih was established in 2009 as a humanitarian NGO with a purpose of helping low-income families through education and food aid, regardless of their descent, race or religion. The organization’s goal is to ‘’enable underprivileged families achieve more independence and give their children a chance to break out of the cycle of poverty’’.
It provides aid not just on an ad-hoc basis, but through a long-term commitment to empower people through training and education. Through its programs ‘Love my Neighborhood’ and the ‘Love My School’, MyKasih runs an efficient cashless payment through which it disburses aid to targeted families, so they have the means to shop, select and pay for essential items.
Fugee School
The Fugee School is an NGO that provides primary, secondary and tertiary education opportunities for asylum seekers and refugee children, mostly to those coming from the Middle East and Somalia. Its mission is to ‘’ignite an endless passion for learning in every child’’.
The Fugee School believes that all children, regardless of their status as a refugee, citizenship or statelessness, should have access to education. Therefore, the organization works in partnership with the UNCHR in Malaysia to ensure that all children and youth receive education and have equal opportunities regardless of their refugee status. The Fugee School wants for ‘’every Fugee student to realize their full potential and values by equipping themselves with the right academic, creative and life-skills in an environment free from discrimination and exclusion’’.
