World champ Loh Kean Yew is delivering food hampers to needy people

Singapore — World champion shuttler Loh Kean Yew was spotted shuttling food hampers around the community for a charity drive led by the Boys Brigade (BB) in Singapore.

And it’s only been two days since Loh, 24, then ranked 22nd in the world, brought home badminton’s world championship singles trophy to Singapore from Huelva, Spain.

He and Singapore’s top woman shuttler, Yeo Jia Min, joined the Boys’ Brigade’s Share-a-Gift charity drive on Thursday, delivering hampers to needy residents. The annual campaign took pride in place on the Boys’ Brigade’s Facebook page.

“Thank you for rallying Singaporeans to help others!” wrote BBSG.

The drive, supported by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), was launched on Nov 20 to reach out to a total of 44,167 beneficiaries.

The BB said that the pandemic, with its social mingling and other curbs, has made the donation efforts even more challenging than usual. And it’s happening when needy households require even more support than they do ordinarily.

The BB badly needs donors to help it buy food hampers for 9,000 individuals and satisfy specific wishes for others. It also desperately requires volunteers to deliver these gifts.

The hampers are packed with non-perishable groceries that should last the households for about four months, according to the BB.

Specific wishes are items requested by the beneficiary or family, usually involving useful items that they would otherwise not be able to afford on their own. These include diapers, milk powder for adults and children, educational toys, and electrical appliances for families.

According to a recent update, the BB has reached only 72 per cent of their donation target, and only 50 per cent of the 200 delivery slots from Dec 26 to 29 are filled.

Loh touched on his volunteering experience and said it was “meaningful and eye-opening,” adding he had never done this before.

“This is the first time I’ve actually seen them (the beneficiaries),” he said in a Mothership report.

If his schedule allows, Loh says he plans to take part in more volunteering projects in future. /TISG

Read related: Loh Kean Yew’s world championship win ‘a wake-up call’ for Malaysia — President of Malaysia’s badminton association

Loh Kean Yew’s world championship win ‘a wake-up call’ for Malaysia — President of Malaysia’s badminton association