Three siblings vow to study hard and repay father who sent them to care home amid hardship

Three siblings who were placed in a welfare home in Perak by their single father have vowed to pursue higher education and build a better future in hopes of easing their father's burden.

The siblings — two girls and a boy aged between five and nine — are now living at Jaz Home, a fully subsidised children's welfare centre in Teluk Intan.

One of the children, nine-year-old Xuan, told Kosmo! on 21 October, 2025, that she and her siblings were not sad about their new situation, but rather grateful that they were still together.

“Here, we have made new friends and get to learn and play with them,” she said. “Most importantly, the three of us are not separated.”

Xuan added, “When we grow up, we want to help our father by lightening his burden. That’s why we want to study hard, go to university, and find good jobs.”

Their father, 56-year-old Huang Guowei (transliteration), had earlier told Sin Chew Daily that he made the painful decision to place his children in care due to the rising cost of living in Kuala Lumpur.

After gaining full custody of his children following a divorce in 2024, he brought them to live with him while working as a lorry driver in the capital.

He had initially placed the children in a welfare home in Kuala Lumpur that charged RM400 (S$122) per month. However, the cost proved unsustainable on his monthly income of RM2,600 (S$798).

“To pay the fees, I lived very frugally,” Huang told Sin Chew Daily. “Breakfast was just coffee, lunch was bread, and only at night would I have a proper meal.”

Even after negotiating a lower monthly fee of RM300, Huang continued to struggle. The children were not enrolled in formal school and only attended church classes.

Weighing his options, Huang eventually decided to send his children back to his hometown in Perak, where Jaz Home offered full sponsorship and access to formal education.

The separation was deeply emotional for the family. According to Sin Chew Daily, two of the children cried when it came time to say goodbye, and Huang himself wept while reminding them to behave and take care of one another.

His youngest child, a five-year-old boy, clung to him and had to be carried during the journey to Teluk Intan.

“I will return to Kuala Lumpur for work and will visit my three children from time to time,” Huang promised.

Jaz Home chairman Kong Sun Chin told Sinar Harian on 15 October that arrangements had been made for the children to be enrolled in school and undergo counselling.

The home, which receives public donations and government grants, is committed to providing proper education and support to its residents.

Kong added that many children who have stayed at Jaz Home have gone on to enter university, and he expressed hope that Huang’s children would thrive in their new environment.

Meanwhile, Tan Meng Wah, secretary of Jaz Home, told Kosmo! that Huang had personally brought the children and their belongings to the centre.

“They had previously been at a home in Kuala Lumpur, but the cost was too high. So their father decided to bring them here where we can care for them fully,” said Tan.

He described the family’s prior circumstances as difficult, with the children often going without proper meals.

“In Kuala Lumpur, their welfare was affected. Breakfast was just coffee, lunch was bread, and only dinner included rice,” he said.

At Jaz Home, the siblings now have access to stable meals, structured education, and peer companionship — and, most importantly, each other.