HEART FOR THE HOMELESS
THIRTEEN years ago, on Christmas Eve, Dr Catherine Thong found her inspiration to pursue her doctorate, thanks to a chance encounter while distributing goodies to the homeless in Kuala Lumpur.

The 47-year-old, who recently received her PhD (Arts) scroll at Open University Malaysia (OUM), recalled that fateful conversation which reminded her of her blessings and changed her perspective of life.

On that Dec 24 morning in 2010, Thong had brought along some goodies to be distributed to the less fortunate to spread some cheer.

The first person she met was Albert. Their chat, which lasted for hours, made her realise how much she had in common with him.

“I spent the whole morning listening to him. It made me realise that the homeless are just like me, except that I’m blessed to live in a good environment and be surrounded by people who support me,” she said in a press release.

Since then, Thong has made it her weekly practice to distribute food to the homeless, getting closer to those often overlooked by society.

After several years, she decided to conduct research on the homeless community in pursuit of her doctorate.

Her thesis focused on bringing positive change to their lives in alignment with the teachings of her faith.

She implemented a three-phase social support programme to reintroduce the concept of normalcy into their lives, offering them individual guidance, followed by small group interventions and community encouragement.

The journey was far from smooth. Many participants had a history of violence, presenting challenges that would deter most.

Thong, however, was steadfast in her goal.

This brought positive outcomes – an elderly man with a drinking problem reconciled with his wife and daughter while a woman reunited with her son who had run away eight years earlier due to her abusive behaviour.

There were many other instances where the homeless were able to improve their lives, thanks to Thong’s research.

Thong chose to do her PhD at OUM in 2019 as she needed the flexibility it offered.

As the assistant vice president in a prominent insurance company in Kuala Lumpur, and a mother of five, she had her hands full.

“OUM’s flexible schedule really helped as I could study after I had completed my office work and house chores, and after my children had gone to bed.

“I didn’t need to travel and ‘abandon’ my family to attend classes. So, I didn’t feel like a bad wife or mum, neglecting my family,” she shared.

Her four-and-a-half-year PhD journey was not without challenges, but she persevered.

“My supervisor, Dr Wong Huey Siew, who is visually impaired, was my greatest inspiration. When the thesis became too complicated, OUM assigned a mentor to guide me,” she said.

“OUM has the most selfless motto I’ve ever seen: ‘University for All’. It offers a chance to achieve dreams that many people may not get to in their entire lives.

“At my graduation last October, I was brought to tears when I saw a 90-year-old uncle go onstage to receive his degree. “I felt so proud I could tell the world that this is my university and I’m proud to be its graduate,” she added.

OUM offers 55 Malaysian Qualifications Agency-certified programmes in education, business and management, technology and applied sciences, social sciences and humanities.

All the classes, assignments and examinations are fully online.

Intake for the January 2024 semester is now open.
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THIRTEEN years ago, on Christmas Eve, Dr Catherine Thong found her inspiration to pursue her doctorate, thanks to a chance encounter while distributing goodies to the homeless in Kuala Lumpur.