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I wasn’t sure why I stopped. But I did. And then, I pressed play. Once. Then again. And again.
Each time, the weight of it sank deeper into my chest.
“If I were good enough… would my father have stayed?”
What If This Were Your Child?
That video lingered in my mind. Not because it was sad, but because it was real.
His name is Arif. He grew up in Chow Kit, where childhood is not guaranteed. His father left. His mother stretched every ringgit, skipping meals so her children wouldn’t go hungry.
I kept thinking. What if this were my child? My brother? My friend? How many Arifs have we walked past without noticing?
The truth is, we do walk past them every day. We tell ourselves it’s someone else’s problem; Until it isn’t.
Arif’s story is not unique
Many children sleep in stairwells, their backs pressed against cold concrete, their stomachs aching from hunger. Some live in the shadows of abuse, too afraid to cry for help. Some watch other children holding their parents’ hands, wondering what that must feel like.
No child should ever have to ask, “Am I not good enough to be loved?”
But in Chow Kit, this is reality. A place where survival is not just about food. It is about not disappearing completely. Arif’s story could have ended like so many others, another child lost in a system that never saw him.
Some People Refuse to Look Away
But someone did something, and that changed everything.
Yayasan Chow Kit (YCK) doesn't just feed children. They create safe spaces where kids are fed, educated, protected, and seen. YCK operates three facilities in Chow Kit:
- Pusat Aktiviti Kanak-Kanak (PAKK): A safe space for children aged 7 to 12, supporting around 70 children every month.
- KL Krash Pad: A center for teenagers aged 13 to 18, giving them a place to learn, grow, and belong.
- YCK Safehouse: Providing temporary guardianship for children in crisis, ensuring they are protected and cared for.
Corporations such as MBSB Bank work hand-in-hand with YCK to open doors to education, ensuring children no longer have to sacrifice their future just to survive. They have eased financial burdens and provided skill-building opportunities, equipping young minds with the tools to rise above their circumstances.
If You’re Still Reading, Then You Know
You know some stories don’t have happy endings, not because they couldn’t, but because no one cared enough to change them.
And now, you have a choice. You can scroll past and pretend you didn’t see this, telling yourself someone else will help.
Or…
You can be the reason a child dares to hope again.
Watch the full video on MBSB Bank’s Instagram and TikTok. Support Yayasan Chow Kit (YCK) – donate, volunteer, or spread the word.
Because breaking the cycle of poverty and neglect is not the job of one person. It is something we must do together.
Farid W. Zakaria is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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