Nurul Hamiza Yaacob, 29, who lives in Kampung Sungai Pinang here, said she had no other option as her husband, Razali Husain, 42, was no longer able to do heavy work.

He has been diagnosed with a weak heart following a bacterial infection caused by rat urine. His spleen was also removed after being involved in an accident about eight years ago, she added.

“I’ll go on a motorcycle with the children to pick ‘pucuk paku’ especially on the banks of the river, ditches or in the bush. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to sell RM20 worth of the edible fern a day. Otherwise, only RM10 a day.

“This way, I can at least assist my husband, who is only able to do light labour in the village for an irregular income.

“We’ve not celebrated Hari Raya for the past five years. Only the children get new clothes, mostly donated by the public,” she told reporters here.

She was among those chosen to be part of a ‘Kita Kongsi’ (We Share) Programme organised by the Kelantan Darul Naim Media Club in collaboration with Hotel Grand River View last night.

She said they were really struggling to make ends meet on a family income of RM800 to RM1,000 a month. She had even failed to pay their rent of RM200 for two consecutive months.

Hamiza’s family were presented with daily essentials and food items in conjunction with the ‘Kita Kongsi’ programme.