For widowed mother Mdm Irma, she and her family of four have been living in this house since 2014. Mdm Irma lost her husband about a year and a half ago to illness, and since then she has been the sole breadwinner for and caregiver of her orphaned children.
Her second-youngest daughter Niyya, 9, is under our Orphan Sponsorship program.
Over the years, the family have struggled with the deteriorating conditions of the house and are plagued with financial struggles.
Mdm Irma can only find work as a laundress and tailor for neighbouring homes, and sometimes also takes orders for traditional desserts. The income she earns is barely enough to sustain them, thus she is unable to afford much-needed repairs on her house. The roof leaks in multiple positions, and the position of the house (lower than the road in front of it) means that it floods very easily. Niyya gets overwhelmed and scared every time it rains because she fears the house being flooded.
“When it rains, Niyya will start to cry and ask, ‘Mama what will happen, the water will leak into our house’. Hearing that broke my heart,”
Mdm Irma, Mother of Niyya, our sponsored orphan
In the past, Niyya’s father had been the one to place concrete blocks under their furniture to raise them up off the floor, away from the rising floodwaters. This is to prevent their furniture from getting flood damage.
Mdm Irma shared that Niyya is studying well, Alhamdulillah. Niyya is very shy, but she did share with us that she loves maths and playing hide and seek!
When we asked what she needed help with the most, Mdm Irma broke down in tears and said that she just wants a proper home for herself and her kids, where she won’t have to worry about leaks and damage on top of struggling to earn an income.
Mdm Irma is immensely grateful for our sponsorship, but now, she needs our help to build a house where she and her family can comfortably call their home.
