NURTURE
a
DIFFERENT
SORT OF
FAIRY TALE
Words Farhan Shah Photos Glenn Lim
With perseverance, dedication and love, any bad
hand can be turned into a winning combination.
We spend a day with two foster families who have
opened their hearts and homes to children who
have been abandoned, neglected or ill-treated by
their parents and guardians.
*Due to confidentiality and privacy reasons, names of the foster children have
been changed to protect their identities.
MADAM CHOO KHENG KUAY, MARCUS & JOEY
Twelve years ago, Madam Choo’s daughter showed her a newspaper article about a child who did not have a safe home. Saddened, Madam Choo researched
the different ways she could help to better the lives of disadvantaged children and was ecstatic to discover the Fostering Scheme by the Ministry of Social and
Family Development. Today, Madam Choo is making a difference in the lives of two foster boys – one cheeky and boisterous, the other quiet and shy – and has
significantly impacted 14 other children since 2002. We salute Madam Choo and her unstinting generosity and boundless love.
A DAY IN MADAM CHOO’S HOME
Right from the get go, you can feel the love and warmth emanating from Madam Choo’s home, with the joyful presence of multiple laughing grandchildren and
the two boys, Marcus and Joey*. While my photographer positions the obedient children (a welcome treat, as most of the time, children are incredibly hard to
control during a photo shoot), I’m willingly dragged to the toy room and made to play with My Little Pony figurines with one of the grandchildren. The younger
foster boy, three-years-old, is clearly incredible attached to Madam Choo and refused to be photographed alone without her by his side.
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Family & Life • Oct 2014