One Child's Story of Survival and Hope
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Fifteen-year-old Mahzan lost his parents and both of his siblings in the tsunami. |
Fifteen-year-old Mahzan lost his parents and both of his siblings in the tsunami. As the sole survivor of his family, Mahzan made his way – alone – to the temporary relocation barracks in Ujong Batee.
Through Save the Children's Family Tracing and Reunification (FTR) network, Mahzan was reunited with his uncle, Jarimin.
As a door-to-door fish seller and father of four, Jarimin's resources are limited. Raising Mahzan is a further strain on his family's modest income. To assist with expenses, Save the Children gave Mahzan an education scholarship and Jarimin a small grant to expand his business.
"Now I have a new family. In this house I have renewed energy to find opportunities and, hopefully, graduate from school someday," said a smiling Mahzan. "Even though my uncle already has four sons, he still cares about me like one of his own children."
Since the tsunami, the tracing and reunification network has reunited 2,800 children like Mahzan with their families.
