Fuzi's family - 2 years later

I was actually planning to visit Fuzi yesterday afternoon – diapers, milk powder and some other foodstuff for the other kids already loaded into my car. But just as I was about to have my lunch, a neighbor called to tell me about the death of one of our kampong folks. I figured it was only right to postpone the visit to Fuzi’s house to visit the family of the deceased instead.

And so I had to wait until today to visit Fuzi to send over the things and also to hand over the pocket money and bus fares for the 3 schooling children. Only Fuzi and her 2 younger children were home when I got there. The other 3 were in school, either for their school’s afternoon session, or for those with morning session, for some extra classes or co-curriculum activities.

I was assigned to be Fuzi’s buddy since 2006. Imagine at that time, the only source of income for Fuzi was the RM115 monthly welfare aid. What could one buy with RM115 per month? Even for one who doesn’t have anybody else to support, RM115 is not enough. Fuzi had to support 5 kids! Worst still, due to her HIV, she couldn’t breastfeed her baby and that meant she needed to buy milk powder too – something which is definitely not cheap. Fuzi couldn’t work, because if she did, nobody would be home to take care of her younger children while the older ones are in school. She did try to apply for jobs at some plant nurseries nearby where she hoped she could bring along her younger kids, but the other workers at the nurseries who knew she had HIV protested to their employer.

How Fuzi and her children managed to survive at that time, I myself wonder. Thank goodness, the teachers at her children’s school were kind and responsible enough to help out where they could.

Now, almost 2 years later, Fuzi’s RM115 welfare aid has been increased to RM400. An anonymous donor who had been following the stories in my blog had also been transferring a fixed amount of money into Fuzi’s bank account on a monthly basis. And beginning this year, Fuzi’s 3 schooling children’s educational needs are fully sponsored through our Education Sponsorship for Children which we managed to finalize late last year.

This is the lonely stretch of road Fuzi's children had to use to cycle to school. No street lamps. Thanks to the Education Sponsorship for Children, we have managed to arrange for school buses for them. A much safer way to go to school!

My heartfelt thanks to all sponsors and not forgetting the anonymous donors who had been contributing in cash and in kinds to help out, not only Fuzi, but other families as well.

Fuzi’s main problem right now is to get her marriage cert legalized so that her children’s citizenship status will no longer be subject to uncertainties. Hopefully the matter will be settled by next month when her case is called at the Syariah Court.

Financially, I am relieved to note that Fuzi is no longer as desperate as she was 2 years ago.

But then again, no money in the world will be able to compensate Ijam, Fuzi’s cute 6 year old boy who has to live with HIV all his life.

Sigh…