Over the Raya weekend, Bro Ivan and I visited Uncle Chin who was referred to Ti-Ratana Meals on Wheels as a potential candidate to be included in our MOW FOOD BANK program. He then requested that we visit his bedridden sister-in-law who happens to live in the same block of flats. Below is a summary of the pieces of information we were able to gather during the visit. We hope their predicament will touch you in some ways and you will find the compassion to render some help to these two families.
Uncle Chin Hin Loong
Uncle Chin lives in a flat in Sg Besi with his 10 year old son, Chuan Yoong. His wife died at the age of 44 years in July 2013, after battling with kidney disease for the past 4 years. She was on dialysis for the past 2 years which exhausted the family’s savings. We could sense that he greatly misses his wife and is still adjusting to his new life without the wife.
Uncle Chin works in a factory producing snack foods, although his left arm is scarred and weak after a nerve surgery 6 years ago.
He takes home about RM1,500 per month after the mandatory deductions. He owns the flat he is staying but is paying a monthly installment of RM250 for the housing loan (20 year loan of which he has another 15 years to pay). Maintenance of the flat is RM70 (inclusive of water) and electricity is RM70 per month.
His other big expenses are for his son's education:
RM350 – goes to a relative who lives a few doors away to care for his son after school and providing him with lunch on Mondays to Fridays.
RM95 – son’s tuition
RM60 – son’s computer lessons in school
RM65 – son’s transport to school (private van)
RM80 – son’s pocket money to school (RM4/day)
All these expenses totaled RM1,040, and the balance of RM460 is for household expenses like groceries (he cooks dinner for himself and his son), breads/buns for his son’s breakfast on school days, petrol for his motorbike, his own lunch while at work and other incidentals, which is barely enough with the high cost of living in Klang Valley.
Both Uncle Chin and Chuan Yoong are trying to move on with their lives after losing their beloved wife and mother respectively. Chuan Yoong attends school at SJKC Kwong Hon, Sg Besi and according to the father is quite a good student but a little mischievous.
Mdm Chin Soo Yuen
Soo Yuen is the niece of Uncle Chin. She lives two floors above Uncle Chin, with her two children (Jia Fui, 5 yrs and Jia Chian, 11 yrs) and her mother who is bedridden. The mother suffered a serious stroke in April 2012 and was paralyzed. After 3 weeks in HUKM, she was sent home. Since then, the family has been caring for her at home. Soo Yuen’s elder sister, Soo Leng who lives in Serdang comes daily to care for her mother while Soo Yuen goes to work. Wth the help of her younger brother who has a car, she takes her mother to HUKM once a week for physiotherapy, and accupuncture in Old Klang Rd 3 times a week. The mother sees the doctor in HUKM once every 3 months. With a year of treatment, the mother has improved a little (she can slightly move one side of her body) but by and large, she is still immobile and bedridden.
Soo Yuen’s father has a second family and no longer comes home. The father of Soo Yuen’s two children are also nowhere to be seen and not mentioned at all when we visited the family.
Soo Yuen works in a garment factory in Kota Damansara and makes about RM2000 a month, including OT. The bulk of her income goes to her mother’s monthly expenses (total RM1,438):
RM680 – Nutren milk powder (this is her only nutrient and fed through a tube). She consumes one 900gm tin in 3 days, which works out to 10 tins a month x RM68/tin.
RM344 – diapers (Adult M). She uses 7-8 pcs/day or 240 pcs/month or 16 packs x RM21.50/pack of 15 pcs
RM60 – disposable underpad – 2 pcs/day @ RM1/pc
RM264 – accupuncture – RM22 x 3 times a week x 4 weeks
Other big monthly expenses are for the house and her two school-going children (total RM888):
RM250 – monthly installment for flat mortgage
RM70 – maintenance and water
RM70 - electricity
RM100 – to Soo Leng to care for her two children after school and providing them with lunch.
RM160 – Jia Fui’s kindergarten fees
RM33 – Jia Chian’s tuition in school
RM60 – son’s computer lessons in school
RM65 – Jia Chian’s transport to school
RM80 – Jia Chian’s pocket money to school (RM4/day)
Their total monthly expenses exceeds Soo Yuen’s salary and the family is struggling to make ends meet. Soo Leng’s husband works in printing and they have 3 children of their own, thus cannot help much.
How you can help
You can support the families as follows:
1. Monthly groceries for the MOW FOOD BANK program - this will be RM100 per family per month.
2. Other expenses - this will include Soo Yuen's mother's medical expenses (milk, diapers, etc), the children's education expenses, or just a general donation towards the family. Donation towards milk, diapers, etc, does not necessarily be for the full month ... whatever amount will be welcomed.
For both the above programs, you can deposit your donation into our account:
Account Name: Ti Ratana Community Centre Penchala
CIMB Account No: 14660000259057
Please email a copy of the deposit slip to June at trccpenchala@gmail.com, and let her know how you wish us to use your donation.
If its for MOW FOOD BANK, please let June know the family(s) you would like to sponsor and for how many months.
If you have any questions, please contact June at trccpenchala@gmail.com or call +603-7784 9002 / +6012-2409020.
We pray for Soo Yuen's mother to recover and gain her mobility soon. In the meantime, these two families desperately need your help, in whatever way you can ... every little bit helps. THANK YOU!
Posted by: Kim
Pictures courtesy of: Kim
