-Cashless relief programme activated to help victims cope with the aftermath.
SC Johnson recently collaborated with MyKasih Foundation to assist 800 flood victims from the most severely affected areas in Pahang and Johor, Malaysia.
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“MyKasih is grateful for the support SC Johnson has provided. Working together we are able to provide food and other essential items to those most impacted by the flooding,” said MyKasih Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat.
SC Johnson contributed RM200,000 to support each family with a one-off allowance of RM250 through a cashless payment system linked to their MyKad (Malaysian Identity Card). Beneficiaries were able to purchase essential food items and basic necessities from among the extensive network of retail partners MyKasih Foundation works with, such as Mydin, Giant, The Store, Lotus Stores (formerly known as Tesco), AEON, Econsave, TF Value Mart, and 99Speedmart.
When the floods hit some states earlier this year and the rising Covid-19 cases prompted tightening of MCO restrictions, the struggles of B40 families seem to never end. Many had lost their jobs and their homes. Those already working hard to make ends meet have been further challenged to have to rebuild their lives upon returning to homes wrecked by the floods. Many were appealing for aid, especially this month, to relieve them of significant expenses they have had to incur in preparation for their children’s return to school.
This direct cash aid restores dignity to the under-served by letting them choose for themselves the items they need and to purchase them only when they need it. It also minimises food wastage and removes the health and safety risks towards social workers and volunteers, who would otherwise have to procure, pack and deliver food aid to the beneficiaries during the critical flooding and Movement Control Order (MCO) periods.
The effectiveness of the MyKasih food aid programme is attributed to the cashless nature of its welfare distribution. The programme runs on a proprietary chip technology of the MyKad which enables charity funds to be channelled in a secure, targeted and transparent manner, directly to rightful recipients via their MyKad accounts. This cashless food aid programme could be activated remotely, which is very efficient and effective during this pandemic.
MyKasih Foundation Chairman and Co-Founder, Tan Sri Dr Ngau Boon Keat said, “The cashless nature of MyKasih’s programme allowed corporates and other social-purpose organisations to respond to urgent appeals during critical times such as post-disaster and the pandemic. We have made the MyKasih system available for use at no cost to help with rapid mobilisation of charity funds to those in need. All donations are transferred in full to the families without any cash exchanging hands”.
The post-flood relief initiative is not the only programme SC Johnson is collaborating on with MyKasih Foundation. Both organisations have been working together since year 2019, providing cashless student bursaries and other educational support (such as robotics and aquaponic edible garden projects) to 250 under-served students in Sekolah Kebangsaan Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, via the ‘Love My School’ bursary programme.
Source : SC Johnson
