Elderly couple raising 5 grandchildren in small flat needs help

Free Malaysia Today

4 hours ago

This space serves as a study, dining area and sleeping quarters for five growing teenagers. (Mohd Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)
KUALA LUMPUR : Senior citizens Alex Liew, 73, and Serena Lee, 70, are in urgent need of financial assistance. For the past 13 years, they have devoted their lives to raising their five grandchildren in a small two-bedroom flat in Sentul here.
Measuring just 300 sq ft, this flat is severely overcrowded. It's barely enough for two people, let alone a family of seven.
Grandchildren Audrey, 18, Kenneth, 17, Nicholas, 16, Shevon, 15, and Vivian, 13, all share the living room together. This small space serves as their study, dining area and sleeping quarters.
Raising five growing teenagers in such confined conditions has been a daily struggle, but it is all Liew and Lee can manage. The couple relies on monthly welfare support of approximately RM900, an amount that falls far short of meeting the family's needs.
'We've rented this flat for a long time, so the rent is low. But we need some help for food, and maybe a bigger place for our family to stay in a safer environment,' Lee, a retired secretary, told FMT Lifestyle.
According to her, the children's parents left the family when the youngest was about three months old. Lee and Liew have been raising them ever since and are not in touch with the parents.
Alex Liew and Serena Lee have been raising their grandchildren for the last 13 years. (Mohd Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)
The family quarters are cramped, furnished only with a donated sofa. Some of the facilities are in disrepair: the bathroom door is damaged, and the flat has little protection from the elements.
With little cover, water pours right into their home during heavy rain, leaving the children with barely any space to stay safe and dry.
The area around their flat is also filled with rubbish, which is infrequently cleared by the local authorities.
Food is a daily challenge for Liew and Lee: the two frequently skip breakfast to ensure their young brood has enough to eat every day. A café donates them a meal once or twice a week; on other occasions, Lee cooks simple meals such as soup for the whole family.
Complicating matters is the fact that the elderly couple has health problems, which adds further strain on their expenses. Lee has diabetes and high blood pressure, while Liew, a retired security officer, has heart problems.
Other expenses include school fees and transportation. The boys walk to school while the girls take a bus, as Liew and Lee are not confident about the safety of their area.
Lee preparing a meal for her family in their cramped and narrow kitchen. (Mohd Afizi Ismail @ FMT Lifestyle)
Academically, the young ones seem to be doing well and participate in co-curricular activities. Nicholas is a school volleyball player, while the oldest, Audrey, is a straight-A student who dreams of furthering her studies.
Four of them are librarians, while the youngest, Vivian, hopes to be a prefect someday.
'Life hasn't been easy, but we try our best in school because we want to make our grandparents proud,' Audrey said. 'We dream of a better future, not just for us but for them, too.'
Liew and Lee hope their grandchildren will continue to excel in their studies, believing that education is the strongest path towards a better future.
'I always tell my grandchildren, you have to study hard by yourselves, I'm very sorry but we can't afford tuition for you. I hope they will all keep doing well and get good jobs,' Lee said.
The Liew family seeks financial support to:
cover daily meals, school essentials, and transportation for the children;
relocate to a safer, more suitable home environment;
ensure Liew and Lee can meet medical needs without compromising on food or education.
To help, please bank in your contributions to Suriana Welfare Society Malaysia, Maybank account 5123 6150 5370, with the reference 'Liew Family'. All cash donations are tax-exempt.
For in-kind donations (food, school supplies, household items), kindly contact 1300-88-2200 or 017-755 8022.
Learn more about Suriana Welfare Society Malaysia here.