11/08/2026
Quality education often comes at a price, putting extra tuition beyond the reach of many B40 families. For the past five years, Abdul Rafi Abdul Karim has been trying to bridge that gap by offering lessons free of charge.
By day, the 38-year-old teaches full-time at SK Damansara Utama in Selangor. Come 5pm, he steps into another classroom: a tuition centre in Kayu Ara established through his non-profit organisation, Pertubuhan Kebajikan Amal Sirih (Pekasih).
Originally from Perlis, Rafi first turned to community work during the pandemic, when he ran a food bank that provided aid twice a month to just under 400 people.
“It cost around RM6,000 a month. After six months, we couldn’t sustain it anymore,” he told FMT Lifestyle.
That experience made him rethink the kind of help he wanted to offer. “I realised that if we really want to help people and change their lives, providing aid alone isn’t enough.”
Those who wish to support Pekasih can contact Rafi at 011-2356 6786.
📷 : Andrea Edmonds