Hope Place Kuching aids family with schizophrenic parent
KUCHING: A 54-year-old man facing difficulties putting food on the table for his mentally ill wife and two young children has approached Hope Place Kuching for assistance.
The non-governmental organisation (NGO) in a statement said the wife, Imelda Affendy, 44, was first diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2017.
“She used to work in a factory in Kuching but as her condition worsened, she had to quit.
“Mostapa works as a storekeeper assistant and is now the sole income provider for his wife and two kids aged eight and 12,” Hope Place said in a statement, following a visit by its representative to the family’s small rented room in Petra Jaya recently.
During the visit, Mostapa told the NGO that his wife’s condition is unpredictable and she may be in a state of hallucination if overwhelmed or stressed.
“Imelda receives treatment at a government health clinic once every three weeks. She still made an effort to engage with the Hope Place team during the visit.
“Though slow in speech, Imelda tried her best to respond, knowing that her children’s welfare should come first,” it added.
According to Mostapa, his elder child stopped schooling last year, while his younger child did not enter Primary 1 after kindergarten.
The father confessed that he could not afford to send his children to school since he has debts to settle.
“Furthermore, his job is also on the line now since he has been taking leave whenever his wife has a breakdown,” said Hope Place.
Mostapa said his children understand their mother’s condition, and they are well behaved and try to create a calm and peaceful atmosphere.
He added that his elder child does most of the chores and looks after her younger brother and her mother when he is at work.
Imelda, who holds a disability card, receives RM300 monthly from the Welfare Department.
Hope Place is providing the family basic food aid and sponsoring their children’s education.
The NGO hopes to register the children at a nearby school and will provide school fees, necessities and transportation, if necessary.
Hope Place welcomes all donations and will issue receipt upon request. Donations can be channeled directly to its Maybank account 511289001160 or via the S Pay Global QR code on its Facebook page.
For more information, call Hope Place on 082-505987.