Six Salvation Army homes in Kuching, Penang and Ipoh will receive RM60,000 from OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad (OCBC Bank) – through its special OCBC CEO CSR Personal Fund – to meet their medical, nutritional, educational and social needs.

Christmas celebrations at The Salvation Army’s Ipoh Children’s Home

Among others, The Salvation Army Malaysia operates five residential homes for children, to enable minors to grow and live as their parents or legal guardians navigate through life’s difficult situations such as unemployment, incarceration, poverty, illness, and broken marriages. The Salvation Army Malaysia’s home for the aged provides a place for retirees to live out their golden years in a fulfilling manner.​

Christmas celebrations at The Salvation Army’s Perak Home for the Aged

One of the oldest charitable organisations in the world, The Salvation Army operates in 132 countries with a mission to offer practical help to people of all ages, backgrounds and needs.

The six Salvation Army homes in Malaysia, comprising a total of 180 children and 30 senior citizens that will be receiving the support are the Salvation Army Penang Children’s Home, The Salvation Army Ipoh Children’s Home, The Salvation Army Ipoh Boys Home, The Salvation Army Perak Home for the Aged, The Salvation Army Kuching Children’s Home, and The Salvation Army Kuching Boys Home.

The funds aim to help the people being served tide through the rough times following the pandemic when sponsorships were difficult to come by.

Nothing like a good round of snakes and ladders at The Salvation Army’s Perak Home for the Aged

According to Major Francis Ng, Regional Officer of The Salvation Army Malaysia,  the sponsorship from OCBC Bank will help to see to the pressing medical, nutritional, educational and social needs of the six homes for at least the next  three months.

“We are blessed to receive the support from OCBC Bank, through the kind contribution of Dato’ Ong Eng Bin at such a difficult time. It will ensure the people we are serving receive the support they need,” he said.

The funds will be used specifically to purchase food and medical care items for the children and senior citizens; purchase tools required for hobbies such as art and craft, sewing and gardening to ensure they are always engaged in healthy activities; and arrange transport for the school-going children and for pocket money during recess time.

Dato’ Ong Eng Bin, CEO of OCBC Bank (Malaysia) Berhad said he has always been humbled by the work of The Salvation Army Malaysia, which has been consistent and far-reaching in their efforts.

“I have always viewed charitable centres as a key component in building our society. A prime example of good work is what The Salvation Army Malaysia does for the community.

“In addition to this financial aid, my colleagues from the Ipoh, Penang and Kuching branches will head over to the homes to see how best we can further support the people being served through The Salvation Army Malaysia by providing training on financial literacy,” he said.

OCBC Bank engages with the communities it is involved in by venturing beyond its superior banking products and services to meet the social needs of the people as well.  

Dato’ Ong added that as a banking group with 90 years of giving to the community, it looks forward to enabling individuals, SMEs and businesses to build a more sustainable future.