KUCHING: Three middle-aged siblings, who live at Kampung Ulu Jaie, Asajaya, have received assistance from Hope Place Kuching after being identified by social workers as facing financial hardship and isolation.
The trio – Mardiah Nohong, 66, her sister Raja, 57, and their elder brother Teni, in his late 60s – have never married and have no children.
A social worker from Sentosa Hospital referred Mardiah and Raja, both of whom hold disability cards for mental illness, to Hope Place Kuching, while their brother Teni continues to work to support them, and is the family’s sole breadwinner.
He tends a small plot of palm trees, and when harvests are poor, he works at larger farms to earn extra income.
Hope Place found that the siblings had likely never attended school and were communicating only in their village dialect.
They own no devices such as phones or televisions and have no bank books or certificates, only their identity cards.
Despite their circumstances, they appear content with their quiet lives, though living in near-total seclusion.
Hope Place has stepped in to provide continuous food aid to the family, with Serian Hospital generously assisting in delivering supplies.
“Cases like these remind us of the importance of reaching out to those hidden from public view, who may be quietly struggling in silence,” a Hope Place spokesperson said.
For more information, Hope Place or Persatuan Kebajikan Harapan Kuching (PKHK) can be contacted at 082-505 987 or 013-567 2775. Donations are welcome and can be channelled directly to their Maybank account: 5112 8900 1160.
