When kindness arrives at the doorstep
IPOH: When her breadwinner husband passed away four years ago, housewife Kumari (not her real name) and her seven children were left devastated and helpless.
Without their only source of income, the 36-year-old widow was in dire straits; she could not work as her youngest child, aged two then, required constant care.
In September last year, a stranger in the form of businessman Ong Soo Keng knocked on her door and offered help.
“I was so touched. We didn’t even know each other then. Ong buys foodstuff for us and pays our utility bills every month.
“We just cannot thank him enough,” she said when met at her home in Silibin.
Kumari said her husband passed away from a liver complication and heart failure at the age of 42.
“He was a clerk at an estate. We were doing fine when he was alive,” she said, adding that her husband used to earn about RM2,000 a month.
“Four months after he passed on, our car was repossessed as I couldn’t service the loan.”
Kumari said she receives RM450 from the Welfare Department and RM1,100 from the Social Security Organisation every month.
“About RM1,000 is spent on house rental, books and allowances for my children.
“I am also thankful that the schoolbus driver takes only RM350 to ferry my six children to school. We try to be as thrifty as possible,” she added.
Ong, 44, said he would collect donations from friends to help the family.
“We don't give them cash. We help by buying necessities, mainly food for them to cook and eat,” he said, adding that friends with spare time would also help the family by doing the shopping, paying their bills and helping to clean their house.
“Extra funds would be used to help other organisations like orphanages, old folks' homes and charitable homes.”
Ong said he made the commitment to help the family for a year.
“We check on them regularly to see how they are doing. It’s been a year now and they’re still not coping well so we will extend help for a further three months,” he said.
Ong said a friend alerted him to the family’s plight last year.
“My friend saw an old lady going from table to table asking for leftover food to feed her grandchildren.
“Sensing something troubling, my friend asked the woman to share her story.
“I then went over to the house to learn more and decided to help out,” he added.
Ong also said that he encouraged Kumari's eldest son, 18, to work part-time during the school holidays.
“He worked part-time at a law firm for a short period and got some money to lighten the family's burden.
“We have discussed our aid with her. We do not want them to get overly reliant on our assistance; they must learn to be independent.
“They also know that we are not able to help them forever,” he added.
Ong said he grew up watching his parents do charitable work and helping others in need.
“My parents would help out at temples, cook at old folks’ homes and also donate to needy families.
“They taught my siblings and me to always try to help others in need. I guess I am just following in their footsteps,” he said.