As usual, we meet up at Tesco Klang to purchase our groceries. As we have more people joining us this round, we split to 3 teams, so it was much organised and easier this round. However, for a Sunday, the queue was super long. So, if you decide to do what we do, make sure you have lots of time to avoid rushing for time. And remember, Saturday no plastic bags !
Our presence to Warga Emas was expected and the caretaker has finally get to know to know us based on previous visits. We had long conversation this time, and our conversation lead to family members of the tenants. I guess it is very normal for the caretaker to receive comments from the family members that they 'do not know them' or promised to call them later, but never did. We have few stories like abandoned parents in the home, people with no memory of themselves.
I guess we, 'normal people' like us never hear this 'type' stories in our daily life. But to listen the life story about these people, it makes you wonder, how could this happen, where is the feeling of love in this? Most of the tenants here are in their fifties and makes me wonder 30 years ago, when the tenants were working hard for their kids, did they ever realized that they will end up in the home like this? We are truly saddened to hear to this, but again, as their life story is told to us, we feel we can only passed on the story and raised the awareness to everyone to remind you when you were young and weak, there were 2 persons in your life that nurture you, guide you, protect you so that you can have what you have today. And for whatever reason, they do not deserve to be here.
Perhaps some of the readers may think it is karma, but we are not here to judge them. Our team's mission is to provide basic necessities in their daily life, and hope our contribution are able to give them a better days. It is not hard for you to extend a hand to a charity. Just make a call and ask them what they want. One good thing we discovered was, there are other public donations beside us that help places like this. So, do you bit and find a charity you can help.
The few stories from the caretaker this time are....
a) The tenant was previously a taxi driver. He met an accident and had both of his legs amputated. After staying alone so long in the home, one day he met his 'brother' in a dinner function, and the uncle was so happy to talked to him as he has not seen him for a long time. Yet, when asked, the brother denied knowing him. :(
b) This tenant was a teacher. He had many children but they never visit him. He had stroke and already giving up his living.
We also noticed that some of the tenants that we saw the last time we were here, was not there anymore, and was told that they have passed on. With limited budget to run the house, having a funeral is not cheap either. First they will try to contact the family member. But if there is no response from the family, they will contact MCA or MIC to help for the funeral. For you info, basic funeral does not comes cheap either...even by cremation, it will cost at least a few thousand dollars. Special thanks for those who has provide a basic decent funeral for the deceased.
Based on our conversation with the caretaker, they are looking into a new home as the current one is being rented. The new place is located at Taman Sentosa and they need a lot of single bed like the one below but they have enough mattress for now.
Picture of the rest of the home :-
Entrance of the house
Outside the house :-
Inside the main hall
Store room with the additional mattress
The Kitchen
Basic kitchen that does its job
Toilet and bath area
The Tenants
Some of the tenants are living in a extended part of the house
Main entrance where the old folks sit and think how their glory days have gone... and how did they end up here..? :(
The caretaker and family
Our deliveries:
Account
Total: RM1250
Persatuan Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak Cacat Klang Selangor: RM 502.35
Persatuan Warga Emas: RM 450 (total is 462.90 but Yeo's family help to absorb RM 13)
Balance: RM 297.65
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