LIFE is certainly very hard for Gyatsri Vangatraman, a 31-year-old single mother of three young children.
She is not only wheelchair-bound herself, but has two other wheelchair-bound persons in the family whom she has to care for – her six-year-old son, Sachin Varma, and her 60-year-old father, Vangatraman Padmanathan.
Sachin, who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, has recently outgrown his wheelchair and mum Gyatsri had been praying hard for a replacement which she could not afford.
And when Batu Uban assemblyman A. Kumaresan came knocking at her door with a new wheelchair, tears welled up in her eyes that her prayers were finally answered.
“I’m very grateful to YB Kumaresan for getting a new wheelchair for my son as he had promised earlier. He kept his word.
“This new wheelchair will help Sachin sit and move around more comfortably. The old one can no longer support his weight,” Gyatsri said in an interview with Buletin Mutiara.
The wheelchair, Kumaresan said, came from a good Samaritan, known as Bstagir a businessman.
Gyatsri’s two other children are Sanggit Varma, 12, and Sasmita Varma, 10.
Before the lockdown, she operated a food business but had to give up as it was not doing well during these trying times.
She then used to sell tissue papers in front of a shopping complex nearby her house.
“My father will also help me sell the tissues to generate income, but now due to the full lockdown we are unable to do so.
“I used to bring all my kids along with me. I had no other choice; I could not be leaving them alone at home,” she said.
Her father lost both legs in two different accidents some years back.
Another misfortune befell Gyatsri herself a few years ago.
While she was trying to rescue her children in a fire at her house in Mount Erskine, she slipped and fell.
“It was unfortunate that I had a severe fall and injured my knee.
“I was required to undergo a knee surgery at a private hospital but due to my financial situation, I did not proceed with it. Thus I am now in a wheelchair,’’ said Gyastri, who has moved to Relau.
Gyatsri is also worried over her children’s education because lessons are conducted online as schools are still closed during the movement control order.
They are lagging far behind as they do not have a proper learning device to follow the online learning programmes.
“The phone that I am using is not a proper device that my two children can use as it can shut down by itself. It lags quite often.
“I sent them to school previously when physical classes were allowed but now they are unable to keep up with their studies.
“I would be grateful if anyone can help my children get a smart device to enable them to follow their online classes without interruption,’’ added Gyatsri.
Meanwhile, Kumaresan said he would assist Gyatsri if she needed help to resume her food business which was affected due to the pandemic.
“Gyatsri used to operate a food stall, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic she had to close down her business.
“I have offered to buy her the utensils needed to restart her business. And I would also help find a place as well as provide business capital if she is interested in continuing her food business,’’ said Kumaresan.
He has also provided financial assistance to Gyatsri by settling her outstanding rental payment for May and also providing food basket (food aid) to the family.
According to Kumaresan, the Penang Social Welfare Department provides a monthly financial assistance of RM770 to the family while Vangatraman receives RM470 per month from the Social Security Organisation (Sosco).
Those who wish to contribute to Gyatsri’s family can contact Batu Uban service centre via their hotline at 017-277 0388
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix courtesy of YB Kumaresan’s office