Kechara Soup Kitchen is featured on The Star Online TV!
Yee Lisan of the Staronline.TV checks out Kechara Soup Kitchen and their journey to help the poor and homeless by keeping them off the streets. Featuring interviews with KSK volunteers, please watch and be inspired to do your bit for your own community!
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/KSKStarOnlineTV.mp4
I sincerely thank everyone at The Star and The Star Online for supporting the services that Kechara Soup Kitchen or KSK provides to the community. The Star is one of the most popular National Newspapers with very exciting reports. I have enjoyed being informed by reading The Star in the past. Now The Star shows their kindness and commitment to give back to Society by supporting Kechara Soup Kitchen or KSK. The Star Newspaper team really are showing their true colors now… what color is that? THAT THEY CARE!! The color of care!!!
The Star is SETTING SUCH A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE TO EVERYONE. This example we need to care, we need to give back to the community, we need to get hands on, we need to do more. What a wonderful way to live, to give something back. To benefit others. To find self worth by giving others worth! Thank you so much from me to The Star newspaper team and all your depts. You really are a star!!
Kechara Soup Kitchen or KSK distributes 850 packets of food to the homeless every weekend, rain or shine, and they have very loyal and dedicated volunteers who come from all walks of life. In this The Star Online Video, you will see the head of Kechara Soup Kitchen Ms Ruby Khong speak so well about what KSK is all about. Some wonderful dedicated volunteers also share their views on why they do this. Beautiful video.
I started KSK in 2006 and this is my way of giving back to Malaysia and doing something to help the homeless because I was on the streets once also.
The Malaysian government is doing it’s best for the country and this is the little that we can do to show our sincere support and appreciation to contribute to society. We have to help the Govt to contribute to society. It is our responsibility. It’s an honour for me to spend part of my time here in Malaysia and have so many wonderful, warm, caring Malaysian friends. I want to give back to Malaysia and set an example for many if I may humbly say so. I want to show that even a ordinary person like me can make a difference.
I am very much looking forward to this dept of KSK growing even bigger. I ask for everyone’s support to not let anyone be hungry in Malaysia, in this region, in the world.
See how generous, supportive and caring the Malaysian Government really are and I thank them from my heart.
Malaysia Boleh!!!
Tsem Rinpoche
Please support us so that we can continue to bring you more Dharma:
If you are in the United States, please note that your offerings and contributions are tax deductible. ~ the tsemrinpoche.com blog team
With the great vision of Rinpoche and immense kindness from many people, Kechara Soup Kitchen is sure to thrive. Get the latest news here https://kecharasoupkitchen.com/
Hey, it’s not just The Star who have given us extensive and fantastic coverage (thank you Star, Martin, Hariati, Leanne etc!). Many of the most prominent publications in Malaysia such as Women’s Weekly, Chinese Newspaper Sin Chew, The Peak and have all written huge features about Ruby’s immense contribution to the community via KSK, and given extensive coverage of the work that KSK is doing every weekend. Even radio and TV stations have interviewed Ruby and KSK. Let’s put it this way – where HASN’T Ruby been featured!
Having worked in the media before I know that it isn’t easy to just be featured like this. You really have to be worth something before the press will even bother to bat an eyelid in your direction. So Ruby and her team really are creating great waves around the city, catching the eye of every journalist who wants a good scoop! While many people have to literally plead with the newspapers to give them coverage, Ruby has had the newspapers knocking on HER door, pleading with HER to give them an interview.
More than anything, this shows how much the media and society value news and stories like these and invest a lot of space and time into giving them the coverage they deserve. Sure makes a nice change from the usual blah news of rising sugar prices, the latest mascara or the latest politician’s marriage scandal.
Kechara soup kitchen is very much in the news these days and thanks to Star, which features the activities of the soup kitchen. Star newspaper has been a good supporter of KSK (Kechara Soup Kitchen). This has given KSK much needed publicity, now with the ongoing fund raising campaign and the establishment of a permanent building in Jalan Imbi. Ruby Khong has so eloquently expressed the workings and aims of KSK and hopefully those who saw the postings would volunteer to give a helping hand. With the coming up of the building many more “hands” are needed.
It is also heartening to see so many volunteers happily packing the food and then distributing the food on the streets especially seeing the young getting so involved. It is such a noble way to teach the young on what community service is, showing compassion and extending helping hands to the less fortunate. It also allows the children to feel how fortunate they are with all that they have.
The song from Phil Collins ‘Another Day in Paradise’ the lyrics talks about someone walking in the streets and he encounters a homeless or vagrant lady but he pretends he does not see her. I think the song was impactful because of the lyrics, we chose to pretend that the homeless people do not exist. I was at university in UK and they had an activity that provided drinks and sandwiches to people on the streets, a hot drink made a lot of difference to someone caught out during winter much more than being in the tropics. I never thought much about that activity, it was something to try out and that was it I went twice and left it at that. That was how real my ‘compassion’ was those days.
I think now a bit older and experienced, I think people chose not to see because they are afraid to take more responsibility. Because if you chose not to ignore you have find out, if you find out, you probably have to do something, and sometimes we are not real because we just want to give some cheap sympathies and we are not REAL. If we are not REAL we will always ‘walk and doesn’t look back, pretends he can’t hear her’.
I leave you with ‘Another Day in Paradise’ – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt2mbGP6vFI
It’s amazing to see and hear so much news about Kechara these days. These days we are like every where. The minute you go out wearing a Kechara logo on your cap, T-shirts etc, instantly people recognizes!
But all this popularity did not come with no effort and a lot of hard work especially from our Rinpoche, who consistently guide in all we do.
Everything is what it is today is because of Rinpoche and his dedicated, committed, loyal students who stuck it through thick and thin.
Gone are the days when we were gypsies and would do our pujas from one person’s home to another. Now because of our TRUST in Rinpoche and by staying loyal and true, we can serve others, our homeless society, and this is what Kechara is all about.
Be who you want to be, glamourous, fun, care free, successful, with Dharma in you.
GO RUBY AND KECHARA SOUP KITCHEN!
I strongly agree with you on the importance of honoring your words with action. I am very honored to say that Kechara House and all its departments follow the footsteps of Tsem Rinpoche with regards to walking their talk.
Tsem Rinpoche came to Malaysia in 1992 with a 2-edged sword to i) raise sufficient funds to support the shangha community in India and ii) bring Dharma, the best possible gift, to the Malaysian community. Kechara’s 13 departments manifested to form the structure and system that support Rinpoche in fulfilling his commitment to bring Dharma to Malaysia and benefit Malaysians in a sustainable manner.
Among other recent efforts that cause tangible benefits Kechara has fulfilled include i) the plans for a new Gompa that will allow more people to be touched by the Dharma, ii) the opening of Kechara Paradise outlet cum chapel in the heart of SS2 and iii) the establishment of Kechara Oasis that promotes and educates customers about vegetarianism. For more detailed information about what Kechara has done for Malaysia and Malaysia, please log onto http://www.kechara.com
As Rinpoche has said, it only takes one person to make a difference. And a difference it sure has made. I helped out with KSK once in 2007 (thank you to Jean Mei who brought me on my first round) where there were only the 20odd volunteers who gave less than 30packets of dry food to our clients. The experience was to stay with me for a long time to come. Being absent from volunteering for KSK for 3 years due to being abroad, I was overwhelmed at seeing how much the organization has grown, from that mere 30packets of food to 850+ packets today and countless number of volunteers participating.
It takes time and much devotion to build something up, to garner public awareness and KSK’s work (together with H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche’s guiding) is definitely admirable. Compassionate volunteers share only the common goal in helping the less fortunate, to feed and nurture them with hopes of eventually getting them off the streets. Without the support from media publications like The Star, plights of our clients and KSK’s work will not be highlighted to the public at such a coverage and rate. Kudos to all the media who have helped Kechara and KSK raise awareness in sharing their vision, in educating the public of their cause in feeding, helping and caring for the less fortunate, and for promoting the saying that “hunger knows no barriers”.
I am humbled to have such an opportunity in volunteering for KSK, and look forward to its continued growth to reach out and help our clients in all ways possible.
Terima Kasih Rinpoche!
Once again, SYABAS to KSK and its immaculate team of hearts that beat for the love and compassion of liberating the homeless and helpless. By their works, Dharma is made alive and seen as a living and transforming beacon of hope and care.
Inspired by Rinpoche’s own experience and heart, KSK was born in response to that need and has thrived in unbelievable ways like how Tara was said to be born from the tears of the Great Compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva.
Thanks to The Star as well, they have been instrumental in making this country aware of their respective social responsibility and one great avenue to do that is via KSK! Sadhu!
Yes Anila, Kechara Soup Kitchen is very active, bringing relief, comfort and hope to the thousands of unfortunate people who sleep daily on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. A big thank you to the Star and other print and broadcasting media such as Oriental Daily and BFM who so willingly give their support to NGO’s like KSK.
Like Rinpoche’s says, an ordinary person can make a difference. This is a wake up call to every one of us who thinks that the world can be a better place. Stop criticizing and start DOING. When we walk the talk, we will inspire other to do the same. Together, we can take positive action to reduce the suffering that exists around us.
The Star Newspaper and T.V. has helped a lot in promoting Kechara Soup Kitchen, started by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche. I believe KSK is the most active department headed by Ruby Khong. Tsem Rinpoche now has 13 departments like, Kechara Oasis, Kechara Media & Publications, 5 outlets, Kechara Care, Kechara Saraswati Arts and 2 Kechara Houses. Rinpoche has been working very hard to promote Kechara Depts to pay back for the kindness that Malaysia and the people have extended to him. I would think that Kechara is the biggest dharma center in Malaysia. It is growing very fast, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
What Rinpoche said, “To find self worth by giving others worth!” is what struck me in this post. Rinpoche’s life is an example of living out this statement. Kechara Soup Kitchen is the perfect platfrorm to practice giving others worth. Many are attracted to the charitable aspect. The comments I’ve heard usually is along the lines of “it feels good to help.” On a deeper level, the reason is because as Rinpoche stated. Instead of letting our low-self esteem gets us into a self pity party, start giving others worth.
Speaking from experience, self worth comes when we work to bring some benefit to others. The more we do, the more self worth we feel and experience…I’m not there yet…but am applying this teaching daily.
Thank you Rinpoche for giving me a way to find happiness.
Dear ruby,
I agree with you regarding The Star.
Thank you.
Tsem Tulku
Last Saturday night, Justin, my son CJ & I meet an old female homeless in Masjid Jamid, we were told she had been on the street for 12 YEARS.
Her feet were deformed, she could hardly stand and walk and she has nothing except what she was wearing. We gave her food which she ate hurriedly.
We tried to get more information in order to her further, but she was unable to communicate well. After trying for about 20 minutes, we have no choice but to leave her at the pavement for the night and tell her to wait for food every saturday and sunday.
Looking at her, I was overwelmed by great sadness and fear! What had she done in her past lives to deserve this? What can we help to get her out this situation? What about ourselves? Do we have enough time in this life time to do something to avoid this and help others ??
Just like Mr Ngeow said : this can happen to us!
To go out on the street and feed the homeless is an act of getting out from our comfort zone.
It’s a great teaching that we learn how to appreciate what we have, not to waste on food, start focusing out on other people’s problem instead of ours, giving, caring, loving, and develop the quality of compassion.
And I always believe in kind act is infectious, people around us will get curious and admire what we are doing for the people we don’t even know, and wanted to participate and giving their helping hands.
This is about doing something and making a difference in somebody’s life for the better society and eventuality our mindset change due to the habit in helping others…
Rinpoche’s message is very touching. I am sure will inspire many.
Even if we have not been in the streets like Rinpoche, it can happen to us one day. I am sure we can also relate to friends or relatives who end up that way. It is very comforting to now there are people like Rinpoche with such a beautiful mind, and all the volunteers involved to care for those in such a situation. We should take responsibility too. We should all contribute to make the world a kinder place for all to live in harmony , both the fortunates and unfortunates.There are many ways to help.We can help create awareness, promote or join an outfit like KSK.One person cannot do much but together through a common wish and vehicle , we can help BIG.
Voon Chin
Joining KSK to touch the earth and face the fact was such breathtaking experience. KSK inspired us about compassion, dedication, diligent hard work and most of all its continuous care to keep forward benefiting others.
Salute for The Star! They did great job.
KSK is so honoured to be associated with The Star. They truly live up to their motto “The people’s paper” with community spirit at heart.
Yay for KSK! Yay for Kechara House and all its departments. It is refreshing to see Dharma being practiced instead of just preaching, talking and meditating on it.
What a beautiful video and I like Ruby’s explanation and the sharing by Quentin. He is one of the most dedicated volunteers who join almost every food distribution rounds! I have sent the staronline link to all my friends, hopefully it touches their heart and comeforth to help others and help themselves! As of 9am this morning, KSK’s video made top 7 most viewed video on staronline! Rejoice! From Sing Woan