The underprivileged members of society, particularly those in B40 communities as well as refugees, are struggling to protect themselves amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving them at a higher risk of contracting the virus.

The underprivileged also face additional difficulty in acquiring medical aid in the event their health is compromised by the virus.

With this quandary in mind, four young Malaysians decided to set up Project Septhus, a non-profit social project with an ambitious but noble aim.

They aim to distribute 10,000 bottles of hand sanitisers, paid for through public donations, to B40 communities and refugee groups residing in Malaysia.

Speaking to FMT, Project Septhus founder, Chong Yao Ng, said he and his team of four friends had always shared a common interest for philanthropy and social impacts.

He said that during their university days, they came up with a novel way to enrich one’s life through the act of volunteering.

“We made an attempt to launch an idea to encourage volunteering: a platform where volunteers can bid their volunteered hours for an opportunity to meet distinguished and inspiring figures.”

While the platform unfortunately never took off due to personal commitments, the seeds of volunteerism had been planted.

The introduction of the movement control order (MCO) in mid-March was a blessing in disguise for the group, as it gave them the chance to pursue their philanthropic endeavours.

“We are all humans, and we have a common enemy – Covid-19,” said Chong.

After getting the group together and founding Project Septhus, they planned their next move – gaining social media traction through family and friends.

“We created a website where people can either donate sanitisers to our beneficiaries, or participate in a ‘Buy One, Donate One’ campaign,” explained Chong. “For every bottle of sanitiser they buy, another will be donated to a refugee.”

As the MCO limited the group’s mobility, they resorted to working with certain non-governmental organisations to distribute the hand sanitisers to needy groups.

“We have been working with various parties, which includes volunteers from the Caremongering Group, Shy Kit from Nation Building School, Dr Foo Seay Liang from Tzu Chi’s Free Clinic and also the state government.”

Through their cooperation, Project Septhus was able to ensure that their supply of sanitisers reached those in the Klang Valley.

According to Chong, the knowledge that Project Septhus’ work is contributing to the protection of the underprivileged against Covid-19 is all the thanks that he and his team mates need.

Currently, Project Septhus relies solely on public donations, and thus requires funds to continue their efforts in supplying sanitisers to those who need it most.

“With a donation of RM5, one bottle can be donated to help protect the underprivileged against Covid-19,” said Chong.

Visit www.septhus.com to donate or support the project and make a difference in someone’s life.