The mother of all carers

The Star Online > Nation
Monday December 8, 2008

The mother of all carers

KUALA LUMPUR: While some mothers may need a maid or two to care for their children, Norlina Alawi cares for 50 “kids” with only the help of a cook and a helper during the day.

“I am a very hands-on mum. I take care of them myself,” Norlina, 37, told reporters.She was among four recipients of the first F&N Out-Do Yourself Award held on Thursday night.

“I want to give kids the chance to have a mother’s love. That is why I adopted them.”

Norlina and her husband Major Roslan Zakaria, 43, have seven kids of their own aged between two and 17.

She started adopting kids since 2001 and their age ranges from a three-week-old baby to a 37 year-old woman who had been abused.

Norlina set up a home in 2004 called Persatuan Kebajikan Anak-Anak Pesakit HIV/AIDS Nurul Iman Malaysia (Pernim) to care for children suffering from HIV or AIDS.

In 2001, she agreed to care for her sister’s mute friend who was HIV positive and pregnant.

“When the baby was born, we found that he was also HIV positive. His mother could not continue to care for him, and so I became pregnant with my sixth child so that I could continue breastfeeding him,” she said.

“Fortunately, with proper care and nutrition, he is now a healthy child.”

Asked what it is like to mother 50 children, she said:

“I didn’t go looking for them. They came to me, and they’re all a blessing. I love them all the same.”

She said it costs about RM50,000 a month to care for her children, and relied on donations from individuals and corporate organisations.

She also receives government aid of RM80,000 yearly while Lembaga Zakat gave them RM25,000 this year.

“I am really grateful for this honour. This is not for me, but for all my children,” she said.

The other award recipients are Siow Lee Chan, the bronze medallist for weightlifting in the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games; Seng Woam Guei, who protected her student from an armed attacker; and S. Prakash, who is visually impaired but is pursuing a Masters in Translation in Universiti Malaya.

The award is for achievers in various fields and those who go beyond the call of duty. Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad presented the awards comprising RM3,000 cash, a certificate of recognition, a plaque and F&N products.


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