Shelter helps homeless back on their feet

JOHOR BARU: A government-run temporary homeless shelter, which has been operating since 2013, has helped put the homeless back on their feet.

Johor Baru Anjung Singgah, which operates along Jalan Segget here, has welcomed about 2,370 homeless people from all over the country, said its operation officer Yusri Yusof.

More than 1,000 of them have already found employment while staying at the shelter, he said.

“Our focus is to make sure that these homeless people are able to seek employment when they come to the city.

“So far, about 55% of those who stayed here found employment after leaving this place while some, unfortunately, go back to living in the street,” he said when met at the shelter here yesterday.

Each resident is allowed to stay as long as two weeks at the shelter while looking for employment.

“We check carefully those coming in as we want to ensure that they do not bring any danger to the other residents.

“If we know that they have a contagious illness or are suffering from drug addiction, we will then refer them to the relevant non-governmental organisations or government agencies,” he said.

The shelter receives about 40 to 50 residents on a monthly basis, with about 80% of them male.

“Most of those who come in are those coming from places far from Johor Baru and who want to seek employment in Singapore or within the city area.

“We have contacts of about 45 employers around here. We try to get their help,” he said.

Meanwhile, Yayasan Kebajikan Negara southern zone officer Nurul Zahrawaini Mohamad Nor Dan said the shelter has the capacity to provide a place to stay to some 80 people at a time.

“Residents will have three hot meals a day as well as use the available facilities here such as the laundry service and shower.

“We also sometimes work with other groups and private companies to distribute aid, especially food to other homeless people on the street in the city,” she said, adding that residents at the shelter are aged between 18 and 60.

She said the shelter also has six volunteers from the Malaysian Red Crescent Society who help to run the place.

Source: TheStar