15 children orphaned by COVID-19 receive Yayasan Keluarga Malaysia aid

M. Sumathy, 52, a mother of two of the recipients aged 16 and 12 said she would use the RM1,000 aid given to each family to buy school items for her children.

Sumathy, who was a stay-at-home mother before tragedy struck, lost her husband D H Jayachandran Pillai, 57 in July last year.

"It took me six months to recover and I sold scrap metal to make ends meet for the family but it was still not enough. Now I am working in a supermarket and life is getting better for me to continue raising my children, taking over the responsibility of my late husband," she said when met by Bernama at the Melaka International Trade Centre (MITC) here yesterday.

Meanwhile, a mother of four who wanted to be known only as Wana said she was taking care of her nieces aged eight and ten who lost their mother due to COVID-19 and their father two months later due to colon cancer.

The housewife who has four children of her own said the financial aid could ease her burden as she is fully dependent on her husband's income.

Like Sumathy, Lim Yoke Teng, 56 said the money would be used for her children's school expenses.

Lim lost her job due to the pandemic in 2020 and last year, her husband Foo Hee Liang, 58 passed away after he contracted the COVID-19 infection.

The three-day Melaka AKM Tour was officiated by Ismail Sabri and is using an informative and interactive approach to attract visitors.