Starving and Living off 20-Cents a Day

Grandma Sri, her daughter, son-in law, and grandsons, all live together in a house in one of Thailand’s biggest slums. Security has been an issue because of a rotting front door.

“I can’t sleep at night. Every time I hear a noise, I get up and check on the door. I’m afraid that someone will break through it and harm us.”  

Before Covid, Grandma helped support the family by making and selling flower garlands to tourists. Then came the lockdowns and tourists stopped coming.

“We had very few orders for garlands,” said Gradma. There was no one to buy them. People also used to pay me to clean their houses, but then they lost their jobs, too. I started collecting and selling recyclable bottles to earn 20 cents a day.”

Sri’s son-in-law also worked as a motorcycle taxi driver, but work has been limited for him too. 

One day, while everyone was away someone broke through their rotting front door and stole all of their remaining food. “They took everything, and even stole the rice box. We had nothing left to eat.” 

This is what Sri’s 10-year-old grandson Mangkorn says, “I was so scared that they would come back and hurt us.” 

Sadly, this wasn’t the only time they ran out of food during the Covid crisis. “I was very stressed because I had nothing to feed my grandson. What was I going to do? There was a woman who sold three small bags of food for only 30-cents, but I didn’t have any money. I asked if I could pay her later. She took pity on me and gave me the food for free,” Grandma confided. 

When CBN’s Orphan’s Promise learned about the family, on two different occasions we gave them food packs with fish, eggs, meat, rice and noodles. Then to keep them safe, we bought and installed a new door with a secure lock.

“I feel so safe!” declared Grandma. “Every night, I sleep without fear that someone will break in. And when I wake up, I don’t worry that my family will starve. I’m very happy!”

When the pandemic began to ease, Orphan’s Promise provided the family with the equipment needed to set up a business selling food near a school in their neighborhood (a cart, stainless steel bowl, tray, pans, ladle, gas and food ingredients. Total cost $229). "That’s something everyone can help with!" Grandma says.

They now no longer go hungry. "Before every meal, I pray, ‘Thank You, God, for this food that is from You. Thank You for the people who helped our family. Without their support, we would not have survived. Please bless them with a good life,” said Grandma witb a smile.

“I thank God for bringing you to us,” added Mangkorn. “May God bless you!”