Seeing the gold in Chow Kit’s outcasts

 

The Nur Qaseh welfare centre in Kuala Lumpur, founded by Nor Akmar Ali, has housed more than 4,000 vulnerable individuals in the city centre.

KUALA LUMPUR: 

With a firm belief that people can rise above any adversity, Nor Akmar Ali has dedicated herself to helping the many outcasts and homeless in Chow Kit get back to living a dignified life.

The 52-year-old wants to help them overcome the stigma of being seen as mere drug addicts, sex workers, or transgenders.

Nor Akmar said she is driven by the desire to see those often considered the dregs of society being treated humanely, thanks to her strong belief that there is yet gold in them.

“As humans, we have to help them as long as we have the opportunity to do so,” she told FMT.

Nor Akmar started volunteering in the notorious Chow Kit area here nine years ago. She then set up a centre that served as a temporary shelter for the homeless and vulnerable.

“In the past, I worked ‘underground’, meeting the homeless and underprivileged at their homes or in the backlanes of Chow Kit,” said the mother of three.

Thanks to various projects undertaken by the government and NGOs, there are far fewer homeless in the area now, she added.

But her mission of “humanising” these outcasts of society remains, and her vision is to see these individuals able to live a normal life again.

Since opening its doors in January, the Nur Qaseh welfare centre founded by Nor Akmar has housed more than 4,000 vulnerable individuals in the city centre, providing them with a roof over their heads and warm meals, albeit temporarily.

Nor Akmar said the centre was established through a partnership with the Muslim Welfare Organisation of Malaysia, with funding from the federal territories Islamic religious council.

“We also help them look for jobs, apply for MyKads, and seek (government) aid.

“Although many detractors say these people are unable to change, we have to help them,” said Nor Akmar, who legally adopted two children whose biological mother could not care for them.

She expressed hope that society would not judge these individuals but instead do away with the negative stigma against them, saying they deserved to lead a dignified life as much as anyone else.

Anna (not her real name) first met Nor Akmar in 2017, after being duped by an agent who promised her employment here but left her hopeless and fearful in the city centre.

The 46-year-old mother of five who hails from Kelantan described Nor Akmar as a “saviour” at a time when she was forced to beg on the streets to make ends meet.

“Before coming (to KL), I knew of the drug and prostitution activities (in Chow Kit). For two weeks I did not leave my rented flat unit for fear of what it was like out there,” Anna said.

Thanks to Nor Akmar’s support, she has managed to make a living by washing and folding clothes, which gives her a steady lifeline and keeps her from having to beg on the streets.

“Nor Akmar is a kindhearted soul who has tirelessly helped the underprivileged,” she said. - FMT