Caring cop puts ‘white flag’ single mum in line for aid

 

A white flag campaign has been launched to help needy families receive food and other aid. (Bernama pic)

MELAKA: Aid has been pouring in for a single mother and her four children after a caring policeman on patrol duty highlighted their plight on noticing a white flag hanging from their house.

Nor Waheda A Rahim, 40, said the policeman relayed information to the public, including non-governmental organisations, to channel aid to her.

“I had to seek help this way (by hanging the white flag) and Alhamdulillah for the caring nature of the policeman, so much so that many people came forward to provide us with aid, including from the elected representative and the Melaka Chief Minister’s Office.

“Thank you so much to the policeman for patrolling our housing area and noticing the white flag at my house,” said Nor Waheda, who works at a stall selling kuih, when met at her home.

Nor Waheda, who lives in Batu Berendam here, said she decided to put aside the embarrassment of hanging the white flag so as to ensure her four children, aged between two and 15, would not go hungry.

She had been unable to work during the current movement control lockdown.

She said she was happy to learn that she would soon move to a new rented house and has been offered a job as a sweeper in the housing area.

“I feel very grateful and I am determined to work harder to improve our life after we move to our new house,” she said.

Muhammad Ayyad Abdullah, secretary of the community affairs department of the Melaka Chief Minister’s Office, said Nor Waheda had been provided a flat in Kampung Padang through the Melaka Housing Board as the family were currently staying with a foster family.

“We were also informed that the welfare department will channel monthly aid, including child assistance, while the Melaka Islamic Religious Council will provide aid in terms of the monthly house rent,” he said.

The White Flag campaign, started by activists on social media, is aimed at providing food and other aid to those who display a white flag at their homes to denote their need for food or other assistance. - FMT