New Life Foundation: Empowering communities through compassionate initiatives

New Life Foundation, founded by Darius Ho in 2020, has become hope for the underprivileged and marginalised communities.

Established during the White Flag incident triggered by the Covid-19 lockdown, the foundation aims to provide local aid, distinguishing itself from internationally-affiliated NGOs.

Citizen’s Journal speaks with Vivian Lei, Vice President of New Life Foundation, an educator by profession with a background in psychology, to learn more about their mission and efforts.

Citizen’s Journal: What are the primary focuses of New Life Foundation?

Vivian Lei: We have six main thrusts: Healthcare, Education, Animal Shelter, Food and Necessities Aid, Funding Hope, and Disaster Relief.

Our goal is to help those neglected by society or the government, including the underprivileged, homeless, differently-abled, single parents, and the elderly.

Funding Hope is our latest endeavour, launched in May this year, to help patients struggling with medical costs, such as surgery fees, medication, and equipment.

Citizen’s Journal: How does your organisation select welfare aid recipients?

Vivian Lei: Applicants go through a thorough vetting process, including home visits and cross-checks with the Welfare Department’s B40 list.

We do not give money—we provide aid in kind, depending on donor contributions. Our food baskets typically include rice, cooking oil, sugar, milk, instant noodles, and other essentials.

Although we try to assist everyone, we sometimes must turn down applicants due to limited resources. It is heart-wrenching, but we prioritise based on the criticality and urgency of each case.

Citizen’s Journal: How many clinics are there?

Vivian Lei: There is only one clinic at the moment. New Life Clinic is located at B-1-6, Icon City, Jalan SS8/2, Sungai Way Free Trade Industrial Zone in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

We have an in-house nurse and an in-house doctor, and the clinic operates from Monday to Friday, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, and Saturdays, 9.30 am to 2.30 pm.

Consultation fees are waived for those in the B40 income bracket and for donors who commit to recurring financial aid.

We spend an average of RM1,500 for every 50 patients, covering medical equipment maintenance, medicines, vitamins, and other essentials.

Apart from the Clinic, we are also raising funds to start our Dialysis Centre to support those with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD).

Citizen’s Journal: Tell us about your animal shelter.

Vivian Lei: New Life Animal Shelter was established in 2022 when we took over a shelter from an uncle who was facing health and financial problems.

We rebuilt the shelter and now provide 24-hour care for stray animals with the help of volunteers and donors.

We have rescued over 200 animals and have more than 60 volunteers.

Recently, we collaborated with Petz-A-Mania for an adoption drive at Paradigm Mall in Petaling Jaya.

Unfortunately, none of our shelter dogs were adopted, so they all returned to our shelter. Those interested in volunteering or donating to our furry friends may contact 014-2179399.

Citizen’s Journal: What about your education programmes?

Vivian Lei: For education, we have the Special Learning Programme (SLP) and the Student Subsidies Programme (SSP).

The SLP is a free programme assisting single parents and underprivileged families with special needs children, such as those with Autism, ADHD, or learning disabilities.

Currently, we have a teacher and ten students. The SSP helps needy students by providing meals, books, and other necessities.

Recently, we provided daily meals to nine Year One students at SJK(C) Selayang Baru and assisted eleven Year One students with book fees at SJK(C) Desa Jaya.

Citizen’s Journal: Are you receiving any funding from the government?

Vivian Lei: No, we rely solely on public donations and contributions from corporations and business owners.

Despite this support, we face financial constraints due to the irregular flow of funds. However, we do collaborate with State Assemblymen or Members of Parliament for joint programmes.

Citizen’s Journal: What other plans does New Life Foundation have for the future?

Vivian Lei: If we have enough funds, a soup kitchen would help even more people in need. We also need more volunteers to assist in our various programmes.

Additionally, we hope to raise public awareness about empathy towards vulnerable groups, such as individuals with disabilities, the senior community, and stray animals.

We encourage people to lend a helping hand whenever possible. We are a transparent organisation that adopts best practices and good governance.

What we do is impactful, and we welcome everyone to visit us.

Citizen’s Journal: How can the community get involved with New Life Foundation?

Vivian Lei: Community members can get involved by volunteering, donating, or participating in our various programmes.

We have seen a significant impact through our efforts, and we invite everyone to join us in making a difference. Visit our clinic, animal shelter, or education programmes to see our dedication in action.

Visit Sokong‘s platform to contribute to New Life Foundation’s mission and be part of a movement that changes lives, one child at a time.

For more information, please visit https://sokong.org/

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