In a world often beset by myriad challenges, the essence of compassion and altruism shines brightest through philanthropic endeavours. The significance of philanthropy extends far beyond the mere act of giving; it embodies a profound commitment to catalysing positive change, fostering resilience, and nurturing communities.
It is through such endeavours that the Brunei Council on Social Welfare (MKM), has garnered recognition, including the Gourmand Book Award for the best charity cookbook in Paris, certificate of award from the Bangladeshi Refugee Camp Authority and the ASEAN Leadership Award in Singapore.
Under the leadership of figures like Datin Paduka Hajah Intan binti Haji Mohd Kassim and Mohd Yusof Halim, MKM has evolved since its establishment in 2009, operating under the Societies Act of Brunei Darussalam.
With an executive committee and board of trustees at the helm, the council actively collaborates with the community, comprising over 70 members from diverse backgrounds.
The organisation operates solely on public donations to fuel its projects, concurrently orchestrating diverse fundraising endeavours such as charity concerts, cookbook sales, and pledge drives to sustain its operations.
Remarkably, every cent received for its charitable projects is channelled directly into those initiatives, with no deductions for operational or administrative expenses.
EFFORTS TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY
As a dedicated charitable organisation, it strives to empower marginalised individuals, reducing their reliance on external aid. Despite challenges like entrenched dependency, MKM remains resolute in its mission to alleviate poverty.
Through a blend of charitable assistance and targeted initiatives in education, entrepreneurship, and employment, MKM aims to cultivate self-reliance and resilience within communities.
Its empowerment efforts encompass various initiatives, including self-awareness courses, mind-set-shifting workshops, entrepreneurial ventures, and educational support programmes.
These endeavours reflect the council’s holistic approach to empowerment, equipping individuals with the tools for sustainable livelihoods and thriving futures.
MKM has aided numerous clients in achieving self-sufficiency, including single mothers expanding their baking businesses, families starting food ventures, individuals cultivating crops, and fishermen transitioning to alternative livelihoods.
Weekly advice clinics and monthly food assistance programmes further support self-reliance and sustainable living.
Within the local context, MKM also spearheads educational support programmes and monthly food provisions for disadvantaged students and families.
The ‘Back to School’ initiative ensures access to education through meals, supplies, and financial aid.
Additionally, they also offer short courses and financial support for small businesses, alongside client empowerment initiatives, underscoring MKM’s unwavering dedication to uplift marginalised communities and fostering social prosperity nationwide.
EXPANDING SUPPORT SERVICES
As the need for assistance continues to rise, the council is dedicated to broadening its impact by encouraging greater community involvement in its sponsorship programme. With each family sponsorship costing BND70 per month, MKM has expanded its reach significantly.
From assisting 20 families in 2017, totalling BND30,400 in expenditures, the organisation now supports 80 families annually, spending BND67,200 in 2023 alone.
Cumulatively, from January 2017 to December 2023, MKM’s total expenditure on these initiatives amounts to BND215,600.
MONTHLY LEGAL TALKS
In collaboration with Yusof Halim & Partners Law firm, MKM hosts monthly legal talks under the banner “Conversations in Law”. These sessions cover a wide array of legal and social topics, including divorce, wills, and wealth management.
Attendees benefit from invaluable insights and guidance, all provided free of charge.
ASSISTING MUSLIM CONVERTS
MKM’s assistance extends to individuals from diverse backgrounds, including Muslim converts like Munirah, a Chinese woman who lost her livelihood in a road accident. MKM provided her with temporary housing and guidance to secure a new source of income.
Zaki, also of Chinese descent, received support from MKM during financial hardship after converting to Islam.
The organisation facilitated his marriage to an Indonesian citizen. Elvina, an Iban mother of four, received aid from MKM in the form of food and shelter. When her eldest son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, prompting the family’s conversion to Islam, MKM facilitated the conversion ceremony.
In its efforts to support education, MKM initiated a fundraising campaign to provide underprivileged students in Arabic schools in Brunei with Al-Quran copies featuring Malay translations. MKM also donated 100 prayer mats to Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah Mosque during Ramadhan in 2021.
To nurture the youth within its community, MKM organised youth camps, offering children of its clients activities designed to build confidence and develop leadership skills.
HUMANITARIAN WORK
MKM’s humanitarian efforts span continents, responding to crises and uplifting communities in need. In May 2021, in the wake of the Gaza bombings, MKM contributed over BND70,000 to the Palestine Humanitarian Fund, followed by an additional BND20,000 during the subsequent siege.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s second wave, MKM provided frontline workers with vital protective gear and extended food aid to affected families, expending over BND100,000.
Beyond Brunei’s borders, MKM engaged in regional outreach endeavours, aiding orphanages and facilitating clean water access while constructing mosques in Bangladeshi villages and Rohingya refugee camps.
Notably, MKM has installed over 1,100 tubewells in Rohingya camps and impoverished Bangladeshi villages. Since establishing the MKM-Gifting Humanity School in Cox’s Bazar in 2018, the institution has flourished, accommodating an increasing number of students.
The school offers free education to Rohingya refugees, with programmes for both general studies and Tahfiz Al-Quran.
Supported by the sponsor-a-student initiative at BND50 per month per student, the school has produced 44 certified tahfiz graduates.
MKM’s dedication earned recognition, with the Bangladesh Cox Bazar Refugee Camp authorities presenting an Award Certificate in October 2021.
Moreover, in November 2023, MKM was honoured with the ASEAN Rural Development and Poverty Eradication Leadership Award in Singapore, lauding its impactful contributions to poverty alleviation in the Sultanate and Bangladesh. – Rizal Faisal
