Ampang shelter gets much-needed makeover

Yellow House in Ampang, which has been providing shelter for the homeless and refugees for 12 years, is in dire need of repairs. The house has a leaky roof and worn-out furniture. Shyam Priah, the founder and president of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Masyarakat Yellow House, stated that whenever it rains, there is a “waterfall” in the house. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, most of their funds were allocated to rural food aid programs, leaving little for repairs. Furthermore, the house experienced more frequent leaks during this period of increased thunderstorms.

The YTL Foundation came forward to offer timely funding for the renovation project after Shyam prayed for assistance. Both organizations joined forces and started a fundraising campaign to revitalize the Yellow House and support future initiatives for the urban poor and refugee communities. The renovation work started on Sept 4, and it is expected to cost RM275,000, to be completed within six months. YTL Foundation contributed RM50,000 to the fundraising campaign, matching the amount that Yellow House had already raised. The remaining RM175,000 will be raised through the campaign and public donations.

Yellow House, built in the 1980s by Shyam’s father and grandfather, has provided shelter to 6,000 homeless individuals and refugees, as well as hosted 1,000 international volunteers since it started operating in 2011. The shelter also offers an upskilling program to help the homeless and refugees. The program focuses on capacity building, financial literacy, and survivor resiliency over a period of four months, aiming to prevent individuals from returning to the streets. The rejuvenation project aims to enhance Yellow House’s impact on the community.

During the launch of the Yellow House’s Rejuvenation Project fundraising campaign, Datuk Kathleen Chew, the programme director of YTL Foundation, emphasized how Yellow House’s work with marginalized groups inspired her to collaborate with them and breathe new life into the communities they serve. YTL Construction, in partnership with Stewards of Environmentally-Aware Development (Sead), plans to use bamboo as a sustainable material for the house’s facade and the central courtyard. This design encourages natural lighting, open spaces, and enables Shyam to optimize the spaces for various projects.

While the renovation takes place, Yellow House will focus on community farming instead of running its upskilling program. However, there are plans to introduce several projects in the renovated building, including a co-working space, a farm-to-fork initiative, and a repair cafe. These initiatives will provide additional revenue streams to support Yellow House’s social mission while ensuring the sustainability of its operations.

If you would like to donate or find more details about the campaign, you can visit www.yellowhousekl.com.