The Struggle

Syakir, 4 years old, suffers from a long list of medical conditions including Williams Syndrome, Global Developmental Delay, otitis media with effusion as well as mild hearing loss on his right ear. His mum, Mdm Noraini, who is his main caregiver certified by the doctor, spends all her time caring for the 4 year old who is due for a surgery in July 2020 for his Adenotonsillar Hypertrophy condition.

Mdm Noraini told us how happy the couple was when she was finally pregnant with Syakir and his twin two years after a round of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) in 2014 after she was diagnosed with several medical conditions which made it difficult for her to conceive. Unfortunately, she lost Syakir’s twin in a miscarriage. Mdm Noraini subsequently underwent another round of IVF a few years later, only to be pregnant with her second child, Syahir in 2017. Speaking to us on the phone, Mdm Noraini described the joy of having her two boys as a gift to their family and how she believes that her love for her boys would outwin the family’s current financial situation as long as they work hard to keep things going.

Help Needed – Give Hope

Indeed, there’s next to no true preparation caring for a child with special needs in the family. Yet even in the most demanding and challenging times in her caregiving journey, the devoted mum always places the welfares of her two boys way above hers.

Mdm Noraini’s husband works as a pest control technician and supports the family with his nett income of $2,300. Sharing with us that the current COVID-19 situation has resulted in a drop in her husband’s income due to lesser overtime hours clocked, the couple is now stuck in limbo as their SSO assistance is being rejected due to the income of the family’s sole breadwinner. The family of 4 is currently putting up temporarily in the home of Mdm Noraini’s aunt as they await for news on their application for rental flat. Over the years, Mdm Noraini’s medical bills from her IVF have also snowballed into debts owing to various banks amounting to more than $50,000 which the couple is trying their best to repay each month.

“Raising two young children with 1 having special needs is difficult, but they are also a gift and our motivation. We are trying our best to be financially stable to provide the best to them”, Mdm Noraini says.

Financial Breakdown

Ray of Hope would like to raise $2,000 ($400 x 5 months) to help Syakir’s family with their groceries expenses. We hope that alleviating outstanding financial burdens will bring some respite for his parents, and encourage the couple to persevere in this journey. 

*Syakir’s family is currently awaiting the renewal of their MUIS assistance which ended in April. Ray of Hope will also be referring Mdm Noraini’s family for debt repayment assistance.