KUCHING: Hope Place recently helped a middle-aged couple who are taking care of three young grandchildren.
The non-governmental organisation (NGO) said Nila Kalaoh and her husband, Martin, were thrown the responsibility of taking care of their grandchildren aged eight to 13 after their father — the couple’s son — divorced and remarried.
Martin, who is only a daily paid construction worker, is the sole breadwinner of the family.
Already 55, Martin suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes.
The family lives in Stapok but plants a little paddy on an empty land in Samarahan for their own consumption.
“With high living cost and so many mouths to feed, I do whatever to survive,” said Nila resignedly.
Nila, who used to be a cleaner when she was younger, has a little sum from EPF but with her husband’s unstable income, she finds herself withdrawing more often from the fund.
Hope Place is helping the family with basic food aid and will help the three young schooling children with school supplies and necessities next year.
Hope Place or Persatuan Kebajikan Harapan Kuching (PKHK) is appealing for donations.
The NGO can be reached at 082-505987. Opening hours are from 8am–5pm from Mondays till Fridays and 8am-12pm on Saturdays.
Donors can donate directly through Hope Place’s bank account MBB: 511289001160 or go to its facebook page to get its Sarawak Pay/S PAY GLOBAL QR code.
