Nominator: Thiruselvam

In 1988, Danapakiyam was just 29 years old. She had three children and was seven months pregnant with her fourth child when her husband left her for another woman. She was unemployed. Her husband left her with no money and worse, she had no one to turn to. Two months later, she was asked to vacate her rented house as she could not pay for the rental and barely had enough to feed her children. Through kind neighbours, she managed to seek shelter at a church in Jalan Kelang Lama.  

She delivered her fourth child there and the very next day, she and her children left for Klang for her sister-in-law’s house hoping that they will accepted. Unfortunately, they were turned away. Danapakiyam had no money to return to the church. That night, she and her children spent the night by the roadside. A passerby noticed them and informed the Welfare Department. The Welfare Department came to their aid and they were placed at the Pusat Kasih Sayang in Klang. There, Danapakiyam was advised to give her fourth child up for adoption. Her baby was adopted when she was just 27 days old.

After completing her two months’ confinement at the home, Danapakiyam started working in factory producing curry powder. She was appointed as a mixer where she mixes the exact quantity of spices for the various types of curry powers sold by them. Three months later, Danapakiyam and three other single mothers working in the factory were provided with a house near the Factory. Danapakiyam and her children moved there. However, in 1999, due to mismanagement, the company had to close down. 

Danapakiyam was once again jobless but she was offered a job at the Pusat Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak Terencat Akal in Melaka, a home for the mentally disabled. Danapakiyam and her children had to move to Melaka. They lived in the home while she worked there. Two years later, her ex-boss called and offered her a job as a mixer again but this time, the factory was in Kajang and she was provided with a house as well.

Danapakiyam left her job in Melaka and moved to Kajang with her children. However, things did not turn out the way it was supposed to and she was once again jobless. Not knowing what to do next, she was thinking about going back to Melaka again when Danapakiyam met an old friend.  Her friend introduced her to some business people who suggested that she start a home in Kajang and they were willing to be her sponsors to start the home. With their help, Danapakiyam started Sincere Care Home. In the beginning, she received residents from Pusat Penjagaan Kanak-Kanak Terencat Akal, Melaka, where she was previously employed. She charged only a nominal sum to those families who could afford to pay.   

Following the advice of Jabatan Kebajikan Malaysia, she registered her home with Registrar of Business and Welfare Department.  Her friends supported her for three months. By then, her home was quite established. Around that time, the Member of Parliament for Balakong, Yang Berhormat Ho Hee Lee visited the home. With this visit came huge publicity for her home for the mentally disabled. People from all over came to know about her home and she started receiving donations. 

In 2003, she went on to become the first woman to receive the Hero Award from Reader’s Digest.  Sincere Care Home started to become popular and Danapakiyam started receiving patients from the Welfare Department. These patients were mostly abandoned or were very poor and could not afford to pay.  Danapakiyam had to turn to the Welfare Department for more funds. They advised her to register the home under the Registrar of Society so that she could receive Government Grants. So, Danapakiyam formed another company and registered it with the Registrar of Society. Now being a cooperative society, Danapakiyam and a committee are involved in all decisions. As things did not work out as expected, Danapakiyam resigned from the Society and started to concentrate on Sincere Care Home.  Today, she not only shelters mentally disabled people but also single mothers. She also runs a small tailoring business with ladies sewing clothes and selling them at the Night Markets.

Her eldest son has finished his Form 5 and is going to college. Her other two children are now 13 and 11 years old. Danapakiyam is currently very happy and thanks God for how well she is doing now. She encourages others to help. Danapakiyam had also attended courses offered by the Welfare Department on how to run the home and manage the patients. She is willing to part her knowledge and experience to anyone who wants to start a home.

Her home currently has 70 residents and occupies three bungalows in Kajang.