In collaboration with PASSIONS, VOICE OF ASIA is proud to present timeless articles from the archives, reproduced digitally for your reading pleasure. Originally published in PASSIONS Volume 46 in 2011, we present this story on Community Recycle Charity, speaking to the team on the importance of recycling.
When we think about a humanitarian act, recycling doesn’t immediately spring to mind. But a small act such as donating a garment that is not longer being used, or separating plastic and paper trash, can go a long a way in terms of preserving the environment and, even more so, in providing a means to help the less fortunate. The PASSIONS team spoke to the Community Recycle Charity (CRC or Ren Ren), in hopes of explaining the process of recycling and understanding the ways in which any and all of us can get involved.
been separated into their respective categories,
discarded pieces of furniture are then restored
back to almost brand new.
The CRC’s President Joe Chong and Vice-
President Vincent Koh distributing ‘ang pow’ to
the children of the Perkampungan Orang Asli
village in the middle of Sg. Mung Perak jungle,
where over 200 people live.
CRC was also involved in fund-raising to help
the victims of the devastating March 2011
earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Here, Joe
Chong hands a mock cheque to Koichi Ito from
the Japanese Embassy, and Ainin Abd Manan,
from the Malaysian Red Crescent.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
The process of recycling is relatively simple: it basically means transforming materials that would normally be considered waste into valuable resources. In order to reduce waste, it is first necessary to develop a consciousness about the environment. Next, one must note that recyclable materials can be transformed in so many creative and innovative ways. The following step is recycling by collecting and separating recyclable materials, processing the raw materials and then transforming them into new products which can then be purchased. In Malaysia, there are 20,000 tonnes of waste being produced each day. If we were to pile up all that trash, its height would be equal to 36 Petronas Twin Towers, every single day. Environmental education is still scarce in the country, and recycling is not a habit for most of the population.
Giving back
This is where the Community Recycle Charity steps in. Founded by Malaysian entrepreneur Joe Chong – a jungle trekker/offroader, nature lover and environmental activist – the CRC is a non-profit organisation dedicated to helping the less fortunate through the act of recycling donated materials. Founded in the year 2007 with the objective of providing help for the sick, underprivileged, deprived and abandoned of the world, beginning in their own communities, the CRC’s goal was clear. What began as a small organisation now collects up to 5 tonnes of materials each week.
To spread the word about their work, the CRC has been involved in several events, in schools and universities as well as shows and fairs. One of the more memorable events they have participated in was a charity concert with a special performance by Malaysian recording artist Zee Avi to garner funds for an orphan’s charity in Subang Jaya called the Compassion Home. The singer taught the children to play the ukulele and performed a few songs for the crowd, complete with a loud sing-along session.
More than just providing the necessary funding for these charities to survive, the CRC’s mission is also to show kindness and deliver hope to people going through tough situations in life. Some of the charities that have benefitted from the CRC’s humanitarianism include the Rumah Keluarga Kami (a home for abandoned and abused children) and the PJ Caring Home (a centre for mentally unstable children and senior citizens). Reusable clothes and furniture are donated to the charities, and other materials are sold for recycling, with the profits converted into funding for the homes.
Human to Human, Ren Ren
The CRC counts among its members young professionals with the strong desire to make their communities a better place through the work of recycling and the subsequent conversion of the profits into funding for worthy and noble causes. Joe’s priority is to inform people about recycling and to reach out to those who need the most help in the community. An interesting fact: the organisation is called Ren Ren in Chinese (meaning human human) because it refers to the act of people helping people, which is exactly what he believes recycling should be about. The CRC members affirm that the most gratifying part of their job is to help others and to experience their appreciation for what they have done. Usually relegated to marginality in society, the beneficiaries of the CRC’s charity become empowered in this process.
Whether you are a child, young adult or senior citizen, you can easily separate paper from metal and plastics when throwing something in the bin and save an item of clothing that you no longer use, or even just buy recycled products at the shopping mall. Living a more environmentally friendly lifestyle, reducing waste and preserving nature through the simple act of recycling is a gift to humanity and future generations.
