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But behind their innocent smiles lies a quiet longing for normalcy – a life like the other children around them.
“Sometimes, when they see other kids dressed well, my boys feel sad,” shared their mother, Krishnavany Rajendran, 36, tears streaming down her face.
“They tell me: ‘Please buy us shoes and clothes like that.’ I feel very sad when they say that. I tell them: ‘Amma and appa don’t have money for that. When we do have money, we will buy those things for you’.”
Life has been a series of trials for Krishnavany and her husband, Ragunathan Subramaniam, 39.
Childhood burns have left her husband’s torso scarred, limiting his arm movement. Now chronic spinal pain often forces him to take medical leave, making his factory wages irregular. There was a chance for surgery but he declined as it was too risky.
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“He couldn’t earn a salary then. If he worked, we got to eat. And because of that, we couldn’t pay our house rent,” Krishnavany said. The last thing the couple wanted was for their boys to be homeless. But an untimely eviction almost brought them to that very state.
Their landlord, frustrated that four months’ rent hadn’t been settled yet, locked the family out of their home while they were at the funeral of Krishnavany’s father. All their belongings – furniture, clothes, even the children’s school supplies – were trapped inside.
“We didn’t know where to go,” said Krishnavany. “We stayed at my dad’s house for a while, then with a distant relative. But all of our things were stuck in the house.”
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For weeks, the family relied on the kindness of relatives. And their boys missed school. An NGO, Suriana Welfare Society Malaysia, eventually stepped in, lending them money to settle the outstanding rent. But even then, the landlord gave them only one day to vacate, supervising as they hurriedly loaded their belongings into a lorry.
Their woes didn’t end there. A hit-and-run accident left Ragunathan with worsening spinal pain. This time he was unable to work at all. “I can’t stand up and do any work,” he said. “I’ve been staying home, taking care of the boys.”
Before the accident, he earned RM1,500 a month – just enough to scrape by. Now, the family relies on Krishnavany, who recently began work at a bakery factory, earning RM1,200 a month.
But their monthly expenses – rent, utilities, provisions, school fees, and a motorcycle instalment – total RM1,800.
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Their new house is furnished only with items inherited from Ragunathan’s late mother: a TV cabinet, a prayer altar, an old kitchen cupboard, a fridge, and a washing machine.
There are no chairs or even a table for the children’s schoolwork. And with no bed frames, they sleep on the floor on tattered mattresses.
“The boys don’t even eat properly. If I have some money, I buy chicken and cook a curry. At other times, they eat whatever’s available. But they have been very understanding. They say: ‘Whatever you give us, we will eat, amma’,” Krishnavany said, choking up.
Their eldest, Sanjjivan, attends a school for kids with special needs. Their youngest, just four years old, has health issues. Yet, despite their struggles, the couple is serious about the boys’ education.
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“I want them to study no matter what. That’s why I sent them to pre-school on time,” shared Krishnavany.
“I don’t want them to be like me. I want them to study hard and be somebody, and be successful,” Ragunathan added.
While the NGO’s aid helped them in their darkest hour, more is needed to cover medical costs, settle outstanding bills, and create a safe, comfortable home.
Groceries, school supplies, or financial aid would make a world of difference. “Please help however you can. We are really struggling. It is very difficult,” Ragunathan pleaded.
“If we didn’t have kids, we could somehow manage,” said Krishnavany. “But when I see my boys, I feel very sad. They don’t have decent clothes, they don’t eat good food. If people can help us, I’d be so happy.”
To help Ragunathan and his family, bank your donation to Suriana Welfare Society Malaysia’s Maybank account (5123-6150-5370) or call 1300 88 2200.
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