Providing nutritious, free meals for B40 children

A medical student almost dropping out of school was the inspiration for Tan Yuen Mun, then in the hospitality industry, to provide free meals for the underprivileged.

She said in 2019, when collaborating with Universiti Malaya’s Medical Faculty to serve food to students, she discovered that some were fasting or surviving on just one meal a day.

“I was deeply moved by the hardships they faced as scholarship holders in the medical faculty,” she told StarMetro.

That same year, she met a student named Hamka who was about to drop out due to poor health during his retainer year.

117 Hub is being set up to produce income and resources for Kenyang’s ‘RM0 Meal Assistance’ meals.

“Inspired by his resilience, I provided supplements, nutritional support and witnessed his remarkable recovery,” Tan said, adding that Hamka graduated in 2020 as a family medicine specialist and was currently serving at Hospital Taiping.

She said Hamka’s journey and his commitment to helping the poor via the concept that no one should be without food, was the catalyst for her to provide healthy meals to the needy.

In 2022, she founded Kenyang, based in Ipoh, with the aim of feeding children from the lower income (B40) group.

Tan said Kenyang’s vision was to help children aged seven to 12 from B40 households stand strong and be independent, so that they can empower themselves for self-development.

“Kenyang is not just about filling stomachs, it’s about nourishing dreams and fostering resilience in every person we touch.”

Tan said in the initial weeks, Kenyang provided meals to 25 students, and then expanded to 32 in response to growing demand.

For 2024, she said, “We want to increase the number of children who receive a daily meal from 32 to 50, Monday to Friday.”

The programme involved one child getting one meal daily five days a week, she added.

A wholesome meal of rice, chicken and vegetables.

Tan said the free meals, dubbed “RM0 Meal Assistance”, include nasi lemak, fried rice, fried bee hoon (rice vermicelli) and chicken with rice and dhal curry.

She said the ingredients were sourced from various partners across the country like non-profit organisation Rise Against Hunger, Beacon Mart, Fantastic Pastry Academy and farms in Cameron Highlands and Ipoh.

“We utilise the zero food waste concept, using surplus or rescued food from our partners which otherwise would have gone to landfills.”

Tan said she was currently setting up a community space where the public could organise activities to produce income and resources for the “RM0 Meal Assistance” meals.

The premises named 117 Hub is located near the Simee wet market in Ipoh.

It was designed with spaces for activities and featured a rooftop garden, and would have homestay services, she said.

“We plan to run a sustainable living home model, housing students undergoing sustainability module training.

“Families can also work together to plant crops while cultivating a communal atmosphere.”

She said a sustainable growing area for herbs, vegetables and fruits was being set up, with the plants expected to be ripe in the second quarter of the year.

“We plan to be self-sustainable within three to five years, generating income via pop-up events and workshops,” said Tan, who has decades of experience in hospitality, food servicing, homestay services as well as advertising and marketing.

She said she was looking for six volunteers to help her run operations.

“We are also looking to expand resources so that the efforts can be multiplied.

“Kenyang envisions a community-driven movement, and the public’s support is crucial and we are more than happy to collaborate with more individuals, non-governmental organisations, small medium entrepreneurs and corporations to empower individuals and families, fostering resilience and self-sufficiency.”