Shankar (43) and his wife Reshmi are devoted parents to their two sons 9-year-old Daniel and baby Roshan, who’s just 9 months old.

Last year, Ray of Hope supported the family when Shankar lost his job after suffering a hand injury. Since then, life has been anything but easy. But they’ve kept going, doing whatever it takes to care for their children.

After recovering from surgery, Shankar found full-time work as a cleaner, earning around $1,600 a month. When Roshan was three months old, Reshmi joined him in cleaning work to make ends meet. For a while, they managed. But in January 2025, both Shankar and Reshmi were laid off.

A String of Setbacks

Shankar didn’t stop trying. He continued taking on part-time work while searching for a stable job. He even performed with a lion dance troupe over Chinese New Year to bring in what he could.

A full-time job was lined up to begin in March. But just eight days before his start date, Shankar suffered a heart attack and was admitted to the ICU.

After being discharged, he returned to work almost immediately, this time at a pasar malam. But the role was short-term, and stable employment has remained out of reach.

Reshmi, too, has been doing all she can. She recently received a job offer, but her start date keeps getting pushed back. With Roshan still an infant, her options remain limited.

On top of that, the family has recently taken in Reshmi’s mother, younger sister, and her sister’s newborn. Overnight, their household has grown from four to seven without any income to support their daily needs.

A Temporary Lifeline

Shankar and Reshmi have applied for community financial assistance, but the approval process takes one to two months. In the meantime, they are without income, with growing mouths to feed.

Ray of Hope is raising $3,600 to help the family cover their living expenses for two months while they await formal support.

This includes:

– Groceries and sundry items: $1,000/month

– Milk and diapers for baby Roshan: $262.15/month

– Mobile and transport costs: $310/month

– Household expenses (utilities, essentials): $167/month

Why Your Help Matters

Shankar and Reshmi are doing everything they can to stay afloat. They’ve picked themselves up time and again but this stretch has been especially difficult.

Please give what you can to help this family through. Every contribution makes a difference.