PETALING JAYA: For many children, getting to school is as simple as hopping into a car or boarding a school bus. For refugee children living in the Klang Valley, however, reaching the classroom can be a daily challenge.
For the past three years, The Assembly Soup Kitchen (TASK), a charitable organisation based in Shah Alam, has helped by providing free transport for refugee children who attend its learning centre in Subang Jaya.
Earlier this year, however, its 16-seater van broke down, leaving the organisation scrambling to find other ways to ferry students to and from classes.
TASK is now appealing to the public to help raise RM27,088 for repairs. Any additional funds will go towards future servicing and maintenance.
Founder Soo Mun Keong said the van had been used extensively to transport children from areas such as Sunway Mentari to the organisation’s learning centre in SS15.
“At first, we were just supporting them with meals. Then we realised many of these children were just sitting at home because they couldn’t access education. So, we decided to start a refugee school for them,” he told FMT Lifestyle.
Although the distance from their homes to the centre may not seem especially far, walking is impractical, while public transport can be too expensive for refugee families.
The van, therefore, became an essential part of the children’s school routine, making multiple trips five days a week so they could attend classes regularly.
The vehicle had been acquired as a display model with only a few kilometres on its odometer. Beyond school runs, it was also used for excursions, sporting activities and other educational programmes.
But in April, the engine seized after running without sufficient oil. Soo believes the failure may have been linked to improper servicing carried out previously.
Since then, TASK has depended on volunteers using their own vehicles to transport students - an arrangement Soo said could not continue indefinitely.
After consulting mechanics and exploring different options, the organisation concluded that overhauling the engine would "be the most cost-effective and practical solution" than buying another vehicle.
The vehicle has been at the workshop since April, and Soo hopes repairs can be completed before the next school year begins.
TASK traces its beginnings to the pandemic in 2020, when Soo and his wife, Wong Suet Beng, began preparing meals for struggling families, particularly refugees.
This small initiative eventually grew into a charitable organisation providing up to 3,000 meals a week to underprivileged communities.
Over time, the couple realised that food insecurity was only one of the challenges facing refugee families. That led to the establishment of The Assembly Learning Center, which caters to children from Standard One to Form Three.
Soo hopes Malaysians will extend the same generosity that has sustained TASK’s work over the years to help restore its transport service.
For the children who depend on it, even a modest contribution could make a tangible difference - helping them get to class, spend time with friends, and continue building towards a better future.
If you wish to contribute, donations can be made to RHB bank account 2621 1100 010155 (Assembly Ground Sdn Bhd).
For more information, contact Soo Mun Keong at 012-589 0774 or visit TASK’s website.