Now in its 16th year, the programme is sustained by volunteers from diverse backgrounds across Perak.

“When I was working at a restaurant on Jalan Datuk Onn Jaafar many years ago, I often saw homeless individuals wandering and sleeping there at night. Witnessing their struggles, I felt compelled to engage with and help them,” Zeti Shuhaila, fondly known as Kak Et, told Bernama.

“Many of them are former drug addicts, social outcasts, or ex-prisoners. Without support, they risk falling back into the wrong crowd.”

Zeti Shuhaila said she started the initiative after noticing that while welfare homes often receive food donations, the homeless are often neglected.

“I discussed it with my close friends and employer at the time, and we thought, why not provide food for them? After all, the homeless will be hungry late at night with no one offering food.”

Volunteer Yon Norasyikin Samsudin, 37, has been part of the project since her university days. “I first joined in Ramadan 2014 after a friend saw Kak Et’s post on social media, and we have participated every year since.

“Previously, many homeless individuals stayed around UTC Ipoh, so we would search every corner of the building to distribute food. But now, they are mostly on the streets,” she noted.

This year, sahur meals have been distributed every Friday throughout Ramadan, starting at 11.45pm at several locations around Ipoh.

“However, if other NGOs are already distributing food or aid to the homeless, we will refrain from doing so to avoid wastage,” Zeti Shuhaila explained.

According to the Ipoh native, they distribute 80 to 100 meal packs, sponsored by companies and individuals, every week.