Charity begins at home | The Star

KARL ISKANDAR Ahmad Bakri, 15, began helping the less fortunate when he was only nine.

His mother, Noorianti Zainol Abidin, 50, not only taught him the value of sharing, she also assisted him in pooling resources to help those in need.

He had realised from a young age that some people did not have enough money to buy food to sustain themselves.

“My mother was always finding ways to help other people beyond just giving occasionally.

“She wanted our project to be more structured and reach a larger number of people,” said Karl Iskandar, an only child and a student of SM Islam IQKL.

Noorianti said their initiative called “Projek Kongsi Pahala Kasihnyakarl” began in October 2017.

Since then, the duo who live in Shah Alam, have helped more than 1,000 individuals.

“I wanted to teach him the value of giving instead of piling up wealth and material items for ourselves.

“I told him that instead of buying more toys, he could use the money to help others who don’t have enough to put food on the table,” said the businesswoman who used to work in the corporate sector.

Egg-citing journey

Noorianti used to bring Karl Iskandar to mosques and surau since he was little.

Both observed that the small cupboards where donors could put food items for the underprivileged usually comprised dry food like flour, rice and sugar.

“We noticed they were mostly carbohydrates. Karl suggested eggs, which is a good source of protein,” Noorianti said.

Karl Iskandar said he and his mother had distributed approximately 100,000 eggs, covering Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Pulau Langkawi and areas in Kedah.

“I have not been very active as I am in boarding school now, but I will go out to distribute the aid during school holidays,” he said.

They depend on contributions from friends and families to keep the charity project going.

Karl Iskandar would also use his pocket money, including what he received during Hari Raya.

Karl Iskandar (right) started donating eggs at a young age to mosques to boost the protein intake of recipients.

“Sometimes he will forego buying toys because he wanted to buy food items to donate,” said Noorianti.

She hoped more children and young adults would come forward to help those in need.

“It is important to teach the young the value of sharing and helping others.

“The feeling you get will be better than when you buy something for yourself.

“It doesn’t have to be a lot, what’s important is inculcating that habit early.

“There is a lot of talk about inclusivity and not leaving anyone behind.

“On a personal level, this is how we can get the ball rolling.

“There’s always someone we can lend a helping hand to,” she added.

Karl Iskandar said the project taught him about the importance of sharing what he has with others.

“It is nice to bring joy. I also realise how generous people around me are through their contributions,” he added.