Clinging on to Hope
Centenarian and ill daughter thankful for assistance from charitable body
Centenarian and ill daughter thankful for assistance from charitable body.
KUCHING: Centenarian Maree Mion spends his days watching the world go by and playing with his cats at home.
Nothing much goes on for the 109-year-old who lives with his daughter Sadiah, 58.
Both father and daughter are living off a RM300 monthly assistance from the state Welfare Department, in addition to receiving aid from the charitable body Hope Place Kuching.
Its founder Kelvin Wan said the two had been under the organisation’s care for the past two years, also receiving food and basic necessities during its visit every three months.
He said Sadiah, who is unmarried and unemployed, suffers from renal failure and has to undergo dialysis three times a week, leaving the father on his own during the day.
“Maree used to spend the day watching TV or listening to the radio but electricity supply is no longer connected to the house.
“He has other children but they are occupied with their own lives.
“The situation for Maree and
The situation for Maree and Sadiah is not ideal but we try to care for them as much as we could. Kelvin Wan
Sadiah is not ideal but we try to care for them as much as we could,” Wan said during a visit to Maree’s house in Kampung Stapok, Batu Kawah, near here.
He admitted that not much personal details could be gathered from Maree and his daughter about their family history, except that the two had been living in the village for over 30 years.
Hope Place learnt of their situation from a concerned neighbour in 2016.
During Hope Place’s visit to deliver food and basic necessities yesterday, Sadiah was not home and Maree was unable to recognise Wan.
However, Maree got teary and emotional when he saw the items.
Uttering terima kasih (thank you) was all that the elderly man could do, as poor hearing has affected his ability to converse.
To every question, he only answered: “Maree, nama saya Maree.” (My name is Maree.)
When Wan asked him to confirm the receipt of the goods, Maree said: “Saya tidak pandai sign.” (I don’t know how to sign.)
Hope Place has helped to improve the living conditions of Maree and Sadiah. Last month, the organisation obtained help from local developer Ibraco Bhd to repair Maree’s dilapidated house.
The company also had spent RM5,000 to fix the flooring, staircase and other parts of the house, including building a pathway and placement for a storage tank to harvest rainwater.
Hope Place currently has 194 families under its care and spends RM27,000 a month to provide aid to the underprivileged.