Community Compassion

As World Food Day arrives, it is important that our basic human rights to food are met. In Kuching, a soup kitchen works to ensure that the underprivileged and elderly receive daily nutritious meals.

Changing lives through shared meals

The patrons of the soup kitchen at the Community Social Support Centre (CSSC) in Wisma Ho Ho Lim, Jalan Abell, arrive one by one, with some in pairs. They hold onto their containers and, upon seeing familiar faces, smile. The soup kitchen isn’t just a place that offers hope for another day; it’s also a place where sorrows and happiness are shared.

Speaking to Sarawak Tribune, the manager, Kapitan Bernadette Geikie — who is also part of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Society for Kuching Urban Poor (SKUP) — explained that food is essential to human life: “It is a basic need for survival.”

She added that with the rising cost of necessities, it’s more important than ever to provide assistance to help reduce social crimes like robbery and theft. Occasionally, when there are excess vegetables in the kitchen, Bernadette distributes them to the visitors.

The soup kitchen reflects the sentiment of today’s World Food Day. Themed “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future” by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, it emphasises that a greater diversity of nutritious foods should be available in our fields, markets, and on our tables for the benefit of all.

Sharing how the soup kitchen has helped him, 49-year-old person with disabilities (PWD), Jeffrey, expressed his gratitude for its existence.

“As I am not working, this place has helped me a lot. Apart from the food, it is a great space for people to gather and receive counselling. We can talk about our problems,” he said, adding that he has been coming for two years, though not every day.

Each time he comes, Jeffrey walks from his place in town.

“I also have some friends who do not have a place to stay, and they come here too!” he said.

Sitting a little further from him, Francis Hu, who gathers with a group of older men, was seen chatting. At 64 years old and retired, Hu comes in every day for breakfast and stays for lunch at 10am. To him, the initiative is great, as it allows him to save money for other necessities.

The dedicated cooks of the soup kitchen.

The soup kitchen

The soup kitchen serves breakfast from 7.30am to 9.30am, with lunch starting at 10am, and operates daily. Its patrons are primarily those over 55 and in the B40 category, with exceptions made for individuals who are disabled or have disabled children.

According to Bernadette, free meals are tempting; however, to ensure they go to those who truly need them, social welfare workers review the applications of those registered to receive the meals.

Sharing statistics from Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah during her Chinese New Year speech last year, it was revealed that between December 2022 and 2023, the soup kitchen provided 37,513 meals to the public, with 68 per cent being lunches.

Currently, the soup kitchen serves 45 breakfasts and 120 lunches daily.

Apart from the kitchen, SKUP also provides food via mobile services to the B40 community in Song Kheng Hai, Poh Kwong Park, and Sungai Apong.

Heavily reliant on public donations and funds raised by SKUP’s chairman, Kapitan Peter Wong, the soup kitchen operates with an estimated monthly budget of RM25,000. Occasionally, organisations and companies donate a substantial amount of food, for which they are grateful.

“I feel happy that we can help these people. Whenever I see their happy faces as they receive the food, I feel grateful. Sometimes, children cheerfully call out to me, and it feels like I have many nieces and nephews,” Bernadette said.

In just a short span since its establishment in January 2023, the soup kitchen at CSSC has become a lifeline for many in Kuching, particularly the elderly and the underprivileged. By offering not only food but also companionship and emotional support, it has created a community where hope thrives, even in challenging times.

As Bernadette and the SKUP team continue their mission, their efforts remind us of the power of compassion and the simple yet profound impact of sharing a meal.

Visitors waiting at the soup kitchen.

Visitors waiting at the soup kitchen.

Visitors waiting at the soup kitchen.

Visitors queuing for their meals.

Visitors queuing for their meals.

Visitors queuing for their meals.

Visitors queuing for their meals.

Visitors queuing for their meals.

Visitors queuing for their meals.