Gerobok Rezeki

There was a time when Dayang Mazlin Menun’s family of nine children went without food for four days and only drank water. The RM1,500 her husband still earns as the sole breadwinner is not enough to support the family, but at least now there is help from a free food aid project that a civil society group Humanity and several mosques around the Klang Valley have started.

Every week, Dayang, who lives at the Lembah Subang people’s housing project (PPR), will walk 2km to the Ara Damansara mosque where she can collect basic necessities like 10 eggs, oil, a bottle of soya sauce, baby formula and a bag of rice.

The food is placed in cupboard in a designated corner of the mosque, called Gerobok Rezeki, for those like Dayang.

Had she bought the food from a supermarket, Dayang might have spent up to RM50. But at Gerobok Rezeki, she can collect it for free, thanks to contributions from the mosque’s congregation members, various charities and funding from Selangor’s Islamic treasury.

“I started collecting the food items about a year ago. I do feel a bit embarrassed, but it’s for the sake of the children.  I myself don’t mind not eating, but for the children, I have to swallow my pride,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

The 39-year-old housewife’s children range from one to 14 years old. Her husband works as security guard.

Dayang’s friend, Noraidah Abdul Hamid, almost had a similar experience of going without food. Also a resident of the Lembah Subang PPR, the 36-year-old said her family had to borrow money from friends and neighbours to survive.

Gerobok Rezeki at the mosque has been a lifeline, although she said she knows she cannot depend on it fully.

“I feel a bit ashamed. My husband does have a job, but it’s home maintenance work. His income is not stable, under RM1,000 a month,” the mother of five said. The children, aged between two and 10, have never gone without anything to eat but there was a time they could only afford plain porridge. “If there’s flour, I’ll make cucur (fritters),” she said.

Both families receive RM500 monthly from tithe disbursed by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais). 

Spreading kindness

Gerobok Rezeki, which started two years ago, is the brainchild of Humanity, a group targeting the urban poor. Humanity founder Mohd Nizam Wahid said the objective at first was to create a positive perception about Islam as mosques were found almost in most communities.

He said Humanity is working with the Mais treasury, or Baitulmal, as well as other groups, such as Kindness Malaysia, Skuad Prihatin Bintulu and Preloved4Charity, to stock essential goods for poor families.

The items also include nappies, toiletries and staples like Milo, tea, sugar and milk. “Baitulmal is providing the fund to buy the essential items for Gerobok Rezeki in the Klang Valley,” he said. 

“For one Gerobok Rezeki, the start-up capital is between RM800 and RM1,200. And to restock the items, the mosque will also announce it to the congregation after Friday prayers to contribute some goods.

“Just imagine if during Friday prayers, 30 people bring one or two items to be put at the Gerobok, I believe we will not have any problem of families going hungry or have to ask assistance from other houses of worship.”

Besides getting help from the congregation, mosque committees also allocate between RM800 and RM900 to buy the essential items, he added.

Another participating mosque is Amru Ibni Al’As in Bandar Baru Sentul. Here, mother-of-two Syariza Johari said the initiative has saved her family in times of hunger. The 33-year-old’s husband earns RM3,000 a month, which she said was a stretch for their family of four, given their various commitments.

“I will go to Gerobok Rezeki at the end of the month or when I really need it, because sometimes, I don’t have enough money to buy groceries. “I know some people may feel embarrassed, but we have to think of the children as well, so we will put aside our shame.”

Reza Iskandar, the mosque officer in charge of Gerobok Rezeki at Amru Ibni Al’As, said the initiative attracted those with many children, the homeless and hardcore poor from the surrounding areas.

The programme has benefited many in need and he was moved when some recipients contributed back to it. “There was a woman who had sought assistance from Gerobok Rezeki and later donated back items to express her gratitude,” Reza said.

The mosque records details of the beneficiaries to monitor the programme, he added. Recipients are reminded to be considerate of others and to take only the amount they needed.

“I want them to think of others as well. So, every time they should take four items only, two or three days apart, depending on the size of the family.” 

Humanity’s Nizam said it was important for mosques to track the programme, as some recipients would take advantage of it by taking more than they needed or even selling them for cash.

“When that happens, the contributors feel disappointed,” he said, adding that mosques only allow recipients to take items from the cupboard from afternoon until after evening prayers. “In the past, there were people taking lots of stuff, so the next morning the cupboards were empty and we later found out the items taken were then sold.”