Osimal Foundation representatives and sponsors hand over the "keys" to the new house for a poor family in Papar.
KOTA KINABALU: A local family of five living in abject poverty received a brand new house after an NGO - Osimal Foundation - headed by former chief justice Tun Richard Malanjum came to their rescue.
Osimal helped build a new house for the garbage collector's family at their village in Kg Biau in Papar about 50km from the state capital here.
Two sponsors from Peninsular Malaysia - Datuk Wira Vincent Lye from Kuala Lumpur and Johor-based Datuk Chua Song Lim and Datin Koh Sai Eng Foundation through Trinlay Chua Su Yin - chipped in for the new house costing RM55,000.
The new house built by Osimal Foundation for Papar district council garbage collector in Papar about 50kms from the Kota Kinabalu.
According to Osimal spokesman, the new house took about two months to be completed and was handed over to the family last week.
The plight of the family caught the attention of Osimal after they were alerted about the family whose 11-year-old daughter, a Year 5 pupil, had skipped school over the last two years because she was constantly teased by people about her dilapidated home.
The girl and her family were thrilled with the help of strangers who assisted them in getting a new home and a fresh start to life.
In August last year, her school teachers, parents and classmates from SK Sacred Heart Biau along with a group from the Miss Merdeka Pageant 2022 had gone to visit the girl after she failed to turn up to school.
The old house of a Papar district council garbage collector in Papar about 50kms from Kota Kinabalu.
The teachers and headmaster Sam Louyoh talked to the family and the girl to go back to school which she did.
The school's Parent-Teacher Association as well as pageant participants of Miss Merdeka 2022 had also raised funds and gave to the family while also providing basic essentials.
Apart from a primary school-going daughter, the couple had two sons while their mother was a housewife.
