Family of Nilakandan A/L Letchumanan

NAME: Nilakandan A/L Letchumanan
STATUS: Married with one child

NAME: Sanguvathi A/P Munian (wife)

ASSISTANCE SOUGHT: FINANCIAL SUPPORT, SCHOOL UNIFORMS AND SHOES

NATURE OF THE CASE: Nilakandan met with an accident near Juru in December 1995 while traveling on a motorcycle to visit his wife in Taiping. He was then a contract worker. His leg had to be amputated as a result of the accident. To make matters worse, he had a stroke in September 2005 which rendered him paralysed from waist down. He now moves around in a wheelchair.

Sanguvathi, was born with a handicap. Both her feet point inwards, which makes it difficult for her to move about. They married in 1992 and have a daughter, Kamachi a/p Nilakandan (12 years old) who is studying at SRJKT St.Theresa, Taiping since 2005. Her parents decided to send their daughter over to a relative's house in Taiping because they could not fully care for her.

Nilakandan has been receiving welfare aid since 2003. However the wife is not getting any. In 2003, the aid given to him was RM180 and it was increased to RM240 in December 2004. On May 2006 he received a letter stating that he will be getting a reduced amount of Rm 160 in which RM40 is the State’s contribution.

At present the family relies on welfare aid and the income of RM120 from the Sanguvathy's job as a cleaner. The total comes to about RM310. This money is spent on food (RM60), water (RM6) and electricity (RM30). Apart from this, they are contributing RM100 to their daughter's guardians for her schooling expenses in Taiping. They have to also set aside money for Nilakandan's transport expenses to the General Hospital for medication and when they need transport to withdraw welfare money from the bank. Taxi fare to the G.H. costs RM18 and the fare to the bank is RM16.

Sanguvathy cannot afford to take up another job becaue she feels extremely tired after work in the morning. Do bear in mind that she is also disabled. In addition to that, she also has to take care of her ill husband. She wakes up at 6.30 am daily and leaves the house for work by about 7.40 am. Before leaving she has to cook and clean her husband and be back by 12 pm to cook lunch and dinner.

We have visited her with a Municipal Counselor on in March 2007 and gave her RM150 as an immediate assistance .We were also informed that a few voluntary groups visit them on a monthly basis to give them food items. Her complaint about insufficient monthly allowance has been highlighted to the welfare department and we are waiting their followup action.PPKB forms for the urban poor have been submitted and waiting for action from the local council.

* We have recently received news that Mr. Nilakandan has passed away and Ms.
Sanguvathy has left for Taiping to join other relatives.