If you have free time on your hands, volunteering is a powerful way to make a positive impact on the lives of others. It’s a great way to utilize your skills and time. While volunteering provides you with the opportunity to help communities in need, it also fosters personal growth. That’s a win-win situation!
In this article, we explore the top 10 volunteering opportunities in Malaysia and shed light on the incredible work these organizations do. Whether you’re passionate about working with children, protecting wildlife, or helping underprivileged communities, we promise there’s something for you.
1. Teach For Malaysia
Teach For Malaysia is a not-for-profit organization that aims to tackle education inequity through its efforts. The organization recruits promising graduates and young professionals to be full-time teachers at schools in need through its Fellowship program. These recruits are trained and supported by the organization.
By volunteering with Teach For Malaysia, you can be part of their Fellowship program and empower students in underprivileged communities.
Website: Teach For Malaysia
2. Happy Family Homes Malaysia (Formerly Habitat For Humanity Malaysia)
Decent, affordable housing is a basic human need. That is exactly what this NGO is working towards. Through the aid of sponsors/donors, volunteers, and home partners, Happy Family Homes Malaysia builds homes for low-income families.
Sign up as a volunteer with Happy Family Homes and work with a dedicated team of individuals as they strive to directly improve the living conditions of those in need.
Website: Happy Family Homes Malaysia
3. PAWS Animal Welfare Society
If you love fur babies, this would be a perfect volunteering opportunity for you. PAWS is a non-profit animal shelter in Petaling Jaya that takes in unwanted cats and dogs. These fur babies are then vaccinated, dewormed, neutered/spayed, and then put up for adoption. Currently, they have over 250 cats and 250 dogs under their care.
As a volunteer at PAWS, you can choose any animal to spend time with and do work that you enjoy. Otherwise, their staff will assign you activities which may include cleaning the shelter and spending time with the animals.
Please note that volunteers must be able to work independently with minimal supervision.
Website: PAWS Animal Welfare Society
4. Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia
Established in 2011, the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia (TCS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of freshwater turtles in Malaysia. It aims to recover depleted wild populations of freshwater turtles through its partnerships with like-minded organizations, individuals, and local communities.
As a volunteer, you will have the opportunity to be directly involved in TCS’s research projects and outreach programmes. You will have a platform to learn to write project proposals, execute research, communicate with the local communities, and prepare reports and publications. They will also train you to efficiently manage multiple projects.
Alternatively, you can opt to sign up as a member of TCS. For an annual fee of only RM60, you can participate in all of TCS’s outreach activities at a discounted rate. As a member, you are also entitled to special discounts on selected turtle-themed merchandise. How cool!
Website: Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia
5. Kechara Soup Kitchen
For the last 15 years, Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) has been actively serving marginalized communities in Malaysia including the homeless, the urban poor, and Orang Asli communities. The organization regularly runs its Soup Kitchen, Food Bank, and their Empowerment programmes to aid these vulnerable demographics.
The volunteer opportunities at KSK include the packing and distribution of food over a kitchen counter, food distribution on the streets, giving medical aid on the streets, surplus food collection, and provision delivery.
Website: Kechara Soup Kitchen
6. WWF Malaysia
If you’re passionate about wildlife conservation, you’ve most likely heard of WWF before. WWF Malaysia works towards nature conservation, focusing on six major goals – forests, oceans, wildlife, food, climate and energy, and freshwater. The organization aims to conserve biological diversity, ensure the use of natural resources is sustainable, and to promote the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
By becoming a volunteer with WWF, you get the opportunity to enhance your professional skills and boost your personal growth, all while serving the conservation cause.
Website: WWF Malaysia
7. Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB)
Established to look after the welfare of the blind in Malaysia, MAB empowers individuals with visual impairment by providing them with services and opportunities for greater involvement and integration into society and improving their quality of life.
As a volunteer with MAB, you can assist in various programs including Braille literacy programs, mobility training, and vocational training among others.
Website: Malaysian Association for the Blind
8. Free Tree Society
Free Tree Society is an environmental organization focusing on building a greener Malaysian mindset and culture. Its programmes include knowledge-sharing activities, raising awareness of environmental degradation, and distributing resources to empower and encourage the adoption of sustainable practices. Free Tree Society regularly conducts gardening and planting workshops. Other areas of environmental awareness that they focus on are waste management, harvesting rainwater, forest conservation, and many more.
Contribute to their cause via one of their many programmes – gardening and green living workshops, reforestation, urban forest recovery, school outreach activities, environmental talks, or even promoting Malaysian indigenous plants for urban biodiversity.
Website: Free Tree Society
9. Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA)
Based in Kuching, Sarawak, SSPCA is committed to safeguarding the welfare of animals in Malaysia. Aside from running an animal shelter, SSPCA also regularly conducts outreach programs to raise awareness on rabies, as well as to educate the public on the awareness of microchipping pets, and the importance of vaccination.
Animal lovers can directly contribute to improving the lives of our fur friends by volunteering with SSCPA. You will assist with animal care, education and outreach programmes, and fundraising events.
Website: Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
10. MERCY Malaysia
Those passionate about humanitarian work can consider volunteering with MERCY Malaysia. The organisation provides medical and humanitarian aid to those in need in times of disaster or crisis. Over the years, MERCY has transformed into a full-fledged humanitarian organization offering the full spectrum of humanitarian services, from emergency response to rehabilitation and recovery, mitigation and prevention, and disaster preparedness.
Volunteers can assist in various ways, such as helping out in administrative work at MERCY’s headquarters and during events, or on field missions to disaster-affected areas.
Please note that volunteers who are deployed for missions on the field will first need to undergo training to equip themselves with the necessary skills to stay safe and maximize their contribution to the mission.
Website: MERCY Malaysia
Recap of the top 10 Volunteer Program in Malaysia:
- Teach For Malaysia
- Happy Family Homes Malaysia
- PAWS Animal Welfare Society
- Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia
- Kechara Soup Kitchen
- WWF Malaysia
- Malaysian Association for the Blind
- Free Tree Society
- Sarawak Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- MERCY Malaysia
