The Shopping List That Started It All
On a typical charity visit day, a young Dr Kervis Soo would arrive at the supermarket with a handwritten list covering two categories. Priority items included yogurt, fresh milk, fish cake, bread, bean curd and ginger. Secondary items included painting supplies, brushes, floor detergent, scouring sponges, and mops. The list even noted one unfamiliar item — Kuyit Powder — with a laughing note that he was not sure what it was, but it was on the home’s request list, so he bought it anyway.
This small detail speaks volumes about his approach: he did not assume he knew what people needed. He listened, he asked, and he delivered.
Old Folks Homes: Presence Over Presents
What made Dr Kervis Soo’s visits to old folks homes stand out was not the size of his donations but the quality of his presence. He understood that elderly residents in care homes often suffer from loneliness as much as material hardship. So beyond the groceries and supplies, he would stay and talk, offering the simple but precious gift of human connection and attention.
Orphanages: Tools for Dreaming
At orphanages, he made a point of including creative supplies — paints, brushes, colour materials. He believed children needed more than food; they needed tools to imagine a future. These small thoughtful additions to his donation runs reflected a deep understanding of holistic care.
A Legacy Built on Listening
Today, Dr Kervis Soo charity Malaysia work has scaled into the Xingyu Million Charity Fund, a RM1 million initiative backed by over 40 corporate partners and powered by blockchain transparency. But his team will tell you that the values driving the fund are exactly the same as those that drove a teenager to stand in a supermarket aisle, puzzling over Kuyit Powder, determined to get it right.
