SANDAKAN – A single mother of three found her home full of food assistance packs only a day after her children were sharing only one packet of biscuits for dinner, all thanks to a Facebook post that she shared.
Out of desperation, the woman – who only wishes to be known as Wani – took her problem online, pleading for others on Facebook to send her food assistance.
Part of the post read: “I humbly request for help (for) food such as rice and milk for my children who have been hungry since yesterday.
“The three of them share a (small pack) of biscuits to fill their stomachs. I am a single mother of three children, and I am divorced – so I am alone in raising my children.
“I had to ask from Facebook because I don’t know what else to do now that I could not work because of the movement control order.”
She then left her phone number and stated her address for people to contact her.
Within 24 hours of her post, Wani received numerous phone calls by those who offered to help.
The single mother ended up with more food packs than she had expected, leading her to ask people to stop donating food to her and to donate to others who are still in need instead.
One of the NGOs that delivered its donation to the single mother said that Wani worked as a restaurant waitress, but was laid off by her employer who could no longer afford her salary due to the pandemic last year.
Desperation leads to duplicate strategy
Seeing that Wani had successfully received assistance through a Facebook post, another mother – Madzna – tried her luck on the same platform.
The 28-year-old mother of four started randomly sending messages to people who looked concerned with Wani’s situation.
“I had no choice but to contact people randomly, trying my luck. I am desperate,” she told The Vibes.
Madzna’s three older children – aged five, three, and one – three have been eating porridge for the last few weeks as Madzna said it is the best way to ration what little rice that they had left.
She added that her youngest child, a five-month-old girl, is also running out of formula milk.
“I am not Malaysian, so I know that I could not get any assistance from the government. My husband lost his job in March last year as a contract worker at a construction site, as the construction stopped due to MCO,” she said.
Luckily for Madzna, a Good Samaritan responded to her request.
Aaliyah Chong, said she was contacted by Madzna, who was a total stranger.
“I don’t know if she is a scammer, or if she genuinely needed help. But I could not stand the possibility of me not helping her hungry children.
“I am not wealthy, but I have decided to purchase formula milk, rice, and other essential food items for Madzna, with sincere hope that her family will be able to get through this difficult phase,” she said.
Madzna thanked Chong and said that she was touched to see that her children could finally eat rice after several weeks.
“We (adults) don’t need to be full, but the children cannot go hungry,” Madzna said. – The Vibes, July 18, 2021
