PERTUBUHAN Kebajikan Masyarakat Yellow House (Yellow House), a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of marginalised groups, from the homeless to the urban poor, and also refugee communities in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, is raising funds to rejuvenate its physical space, which will cater to future plans for the urban poor and refugee communities.

The fundraising initiative was officially launched at the Yellow House premise by its founder and president, Shyam Priah, together with Datuk Kathleen Chew, YTL Foundation's programme director.

Renovation work for Yellow House is already in motion with an estimated cost of RM275,000, and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

In support of its rejuvenation and future ambitions, YTL Foundation donated RM50,000 to Yellow House to kickstart the fundraising, and thus matching the RM50,000 that Yellow House had raised to-date. It's hoped that the balance of RM175,000 will be raised through donations from the fund-raising campaign.

A HELPING HAND

First built in the 1980s by Shyam's father and grandfather, the Yellow House premises in Ampang, Selangor, has served as a shelter for more than 6,000 homeless individuals and refugees, and has hosted over a thousand international volunteers since the organisation's inception in 2011.

Today, the ageing building is in constant need of repairs, which has severely limited the functionality of Yellow House to continue operating and running its social programmes.

Shares Shyam: "To date, Yellow House has served thousands of beneficiaries despite its space and operational constraints. With the support of YTL Foundation and YTL Construction, we're embarking on a transformative renovation journey. Our aim is to maximise the potential of Yellow House, making it a beacon space of hope and support for our refugee, homeless and urban poor communities."

Through this fundraising campaign, the organisation is extending the opportunity for good-willed Malaysians and corporates to come forward and lend their support for a worthy cause. "The new era of Yellow House is a shared vision for the betterment of communities; and every donation signifies the collective ownership in Yellow House's future," she adds.

According to Chew, Yellow House's mission and impact on marginalised groups had inspired YTL to collaborate with them, in a shared mission to bring a new lease of life for the communities they serve. "With the assistance of YTL Construction, we're delighted to contribute our resources to undertake the renovation of the Yellow House building, including finance, expertise, network and manpower," she elaborates.

The rejuvenation of Yellow House carries the express mandate to increase its functionality, not just in creating a welcoming atmosphere for volunteers and the underserved communities, but also in enabling Yellow House to add on social initiatives that could benefit the surrounding community, adds Chew.

Yellow House has several projects planned for the envisioned renewed building, including a co-working space, a farm-to-fork initiative and a repair café. These initiatives allow for diversified revenue streams that will enable it to continue its social mission while allowing it to financially sustain its operations.

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES

In line with YTL Foundation's ethos and Yellow House's own sustainability practices, the renovation of Yellow House will see extensive use of bamboo as an innovative and sustainable building material. YTL Construction, as the Design and Construction partner, has conceptualised the idea of incorporating bamboo into Yellow House's renovation, not only as an eco-friendly choice, but also to add a unique touch of natural beauty to this initiative.

"As we endeavour to create sustainable changes in the lives of the underserved, we're confident that the new face of Yellow House will be a sustainable space in every way – socially, by providing shelter and dignity for the marginalised. Economically, as a platform to generate work opportunities, and environmentally, with the use of bamboo that encourages natural lighting and open spaces," shares YTL Construction's director, Yeoh Pei Tsen.

With a more optimised space, Yellow House will be able to scale up and carry out new projects that the old place had no carrying capacity for, Shyam pipes in, adding that it would enable them to increase the number and impact on the communities they serve.

YELLOW HOUSE KUALA LUMPUR

SUPPORTED by a strong board of trustees and supportive partners, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Masyarakat Yellow House (Yellow House) has uplifted thousands of lives. The non-profit organisation aims to promote volunteerism and social impact amongst some of the social issues faced in Malaysia, namely homelessness and refugees. After more than a decade of opening its doors, Yellow House is now a social enterprise with a thriving international community of more than a thousand volunteers from over 40 countries.

For details on Yellow House's rejuvenation project or to donate, visit https://yellowhousekl.com/.

YTL FOUNDATION

YTL Foundation was founded in 1997 on the belief that education is the basis on which every society progresses. By developing and improving education and providing leadership opportunities in the communities in which it operates, YTL Foundation aims to empower individuals and communities to be catalysts of change to enrich and benefit society.

Through programmes, funding, thought leadership and by championing the use of technology, backed by the YTL Group's heritage of nation building, YTL Foundation hopes to build better societies, through better education.

For more info on YTL Foundation, visit www.ytlfoundation.org.

Source: https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/sunday-vibes/2023/09/956201/ampangs-legacy-shelter-yellow-house-embarks-revolutionary