Yayasan Suria JB (YSJB) – Caught in a dilemma!
With the soaring prices of goods lately, NGOs like us are badly hit and with the number of people needing help increasing, we are caught between wanting to help and not helping – we are surely caught in – between, a dilemma!
Prices of everything had gone up by some 30% – 40%, something beyond our control due to the various factors which we are not going to discuss here. With our income (contributions from donors) down by some 50% for the corresponding periods of Apr/May and May/Jun 2022 but the cases needing help are ever increasing, we have to go on a cost-cutting drive. We don’t see any increase in donations in the coming months for the rest of 2022, hopefully with no further decline in donations coming in.
Overheads like monthly rental of office (RM1,600) / electricity bills (RM300) / water bills (RM30) and running of the Toyota Hilux are fixed. We cover some 5,000 km monthly. Our volunteers (those in the office and the ones running around with me in the Toyota Hilux) are not paid (including me).
Looks like we have to half the value of our food bank from RM150 to RM80 for our ‘permanent’ clients, we have identified the ‘bare necessities’ like rice, eggs, oil, biscuits, instant noodles, etc to be given to our clients. On top of that, our monthly cash aid of RM10,000 going to 42 clients clients(Poor & Needy, schools and Homes) will be halved. We shall not be taking in any more ‘new clients’ at this moment.
Meaning to say that the numbers of clients we are helping have not changed but the value/amount given is being reduced. All our clients will still be given aid but at a reduced amount.
This is the first time we have to resort to such drastic measures to keep us afloat, we shall be calling up all our clients to inform them about this ‘unpleasant’ but necessary move.
There is a lot of administrative work to do, changing all the bank SI(Standing Instructions) which will take effect from 1st July 2022. We are sorry for all our clients.
However, those local university students whom we have promised a bursary of RM2,400 a year will still be getting help from us until they finish their courses. All one-off donations to hospitals, Homes, dialysis/cancer patients and those going for operations, etc will have to be put on hold until our financial situation improves.
Meanwhile, I personally appeal to all of you reading this to hop on board and be our partners in helping the Poor & Needy. No amount is too small for us – RM10 will buy a tray of 30 eggs and RM15 will buy a 5kg bag of rice!
Read the STAR article relating to this issue of price increase of goods and the impact on NGOs: https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2022/05/30/charities-also-hit-hard-by-price-hikes
Like a distress ship sending out a SOS signal, we are sure help is on the way from somewhere/someone!
Together, we can make life more bearable for our sisters & brothers who are finding it hard to put food on the table. Thank you(
) and we look forward to seeing you on board during this difficult time. May God bless you and reward you for your generosity!