Shelter In The Storm Why Giving A Home Heals More Than Just The Homeless

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IT was raining that afternoon. The kind of rain that makes you retreat into yourself, hands buried in pockets, head down, rushing to wherever you need to be.
I was waiting at a crosswalk when I saw it – a stranger holding out an umbrella for another. They didn’t know each other, but for that moment, it didn’t matter. One had shelter, the other didn’t. And so, without hesitation, the umbrella was shared.
It was a small, fleeting act, but one that stuck with me. Because isn’t this what shelter is supposed to be? Not just four walls and a roof, but something we hold out for others when they have none. A way to say: “You are safe here. I see you. You are not alone.”
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs tells us that shelter is one of the most basic human necessities. It is the foundation upon which all other aspects of life – stability, dignity, self-worth – are built.
And yet, for many, this foundation is missing. Some have lost their homes to hardship; some were never given one to begin with.
(Image: DagangNews)What happens when this fundamental need goes unmet? It is easy to look away, to assume that homelessness is a consequence of bad choices. But the truth is more complex.
Poverty, illness, abuse, and circumstances beyond control all weave into the fabric of displacement. And in a society that moves too fast, these individuals often become invisible.
Building a shelter beyond walls
Years ago, I founded an NGO focusing on the homeless in Chow Kit, the part of Kuala Lumpur many prefer to ignore. A place where lives unfold on sidewalks, where hope flickers and dims under the weight of survival.
We built a shelter home – not a grand institution, just a small space where people could reclaim the simple dignity of having a place to rest.
I bring my students here, not just to teach them about homelessness, but to let them see – to truly see – the lives behind the statistics.
To understand that the people who sleep on park benches and under bridges are not problems to be solved, but human beings in need of something as basic as warmth, care, and a door that opens.
The idea of giving shelter might seem daunting. Not everyone can build a home for others. But perhaps, shelter is not just a physical space. Perhaps it is a hand stretched out, a conversation shared, an opportunity given.
If something as small as an umbrella can make a difference in the rain, why do we hesitate when the storms are heavier? Why do we assume that someone else – governments, charities, activists – will be the ones to provide shelter when we all have the capacity to hold it out in some way?
A meal. A job. A second chance. These, too, are forms of shelter. And they do not require wealth, only willingness.
I’ve seen this firsthand in our shelter home. A simple offer – a warm meal, a listening ear, a shared story – has the power to change a person’s day, sometimes even their life.
A young man once came to our shelter ashamed, shoulders hunched, eyes avoiding contact. He had lost everything – his job, his home, his dignity. But one conversation, one moment of genuine care, started to shift his perspective.
He began to believe in himself again, to rebuild. Today, he mentors others who come through our doors, proving that even the smallest gesture of shelter can create ripples of change.
(Image: The Star)Shelter can also be systemic. Employers who hire former homeless individuals, educators who see potential in struggling students, landlords who offer fair housing – all of them hold umbrellas in different ways. The question is, what is yours?
It doesn’t have to be big. Maybe it’s offering a ride, helping someone navigate job applications, or simply acknowledging the presence of those often ignored.
Small actions matter. They compound over time. They remind us that we are all part of a larger human family, responsible for holding each other up in the rain.
The home you build is also for you
People often ask me why I do this work. They assume it is out of charity, or obligation. But the truth is simpler: giving shelter has shaped me as much as it has helped others.
When you offer a home – whether through kindness, opportunity, or simply by seeing someone as human – you are not just giving. You are growing. You are becoming the hands that give, the heart that opens, the soul that understands that shelter is not just something we build for others, but something we create within ourselves.
So, I leave you with this thought: If I can do it, why can’t you? If a stranger can share an umbrella in the rain, what small act of shelter can you hold out today?
The author, Bernie Yeo is a senior lecturer at the Department of Social Administration and Justice, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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